"My company has grown and I’ve decided that I need to
write an employee handbook. What should it include and how can I ensure its purpose?" MRMRP-Via the Internet "My company has grown and I’ve decided that I need to
write an employee handbook. What should it include and how can I ensure its purpose?" MRMRP-Via the Internet
THE INDUSTRY ADVISOR
By Gene Levine - www.genelevine.com
If
your business has grown to the point where you are losing day-to-day contact with your
employees, an employee handbook — while not a replacement for personal interaction
— can help you sustain your company’s and your own modus operandi.
Every company’s culture and needs are different, and I’ve never seen two companies with exactly the same handbook. However, there is a prevailing format. Based on this standard outline, I will suggest the main elements of a handbook and point out some often overlooked but important topics. You can decide what points you wish to develop further.
WELCOME MESSAGE: As a greeting to new employees, this section typically is a personal letter from the company’s owner or president. It should include his or her picture and end with a reproduced signature, rather than a printed name. Here’s an excerpt from one such letter:
"I am pleased that you have decided to join us at (company name). I hope our association will be a long and beneficial one. Our company has a history of more than three years of service to our customers. It has grown because of the efforts of each employee. Our future looks bright, but will present challenges. I am counting on your help in meeting those challenges.
"I know that in return for your support, our company is obligated to make your employment as satisfying as possible. Our wage policies and benefit programs are designed to make our company a good place to work. We also emphasize intelligent human relations in our day-to-day contacts. …"
HISTORY: When past events are impressive, background information can help to instill pride in the company and emphasize its importance to the community, customers and employees.
THIS IS "YOUR" BUSINESS: Some owners wrongfully assume that employees are familiar with the company’s products, services and sales. Often, however, employees are ignorant of, or misinformed about, such pertinent facts. This section should be brief and provide employees with the impression that the company is "their" business rather than "your" business.
YOU AND YOUR FUTURE: Reference the employees’ future earnings in this section. Cover policies and procedures on wage reviews and promotions, spelling out whom is responsible for making performance and wage reviews and when they are scheduled. Keep numbers to a minimum. If you want to outline something about wages, issue an insert. This will ensure that the handbook does not become out-of-date when the numbers change.
WHAT THE EMPLOYEE WILL NEED TO KNOW: In this section, cover the rules of the company and point out the chain of command so that employees know where to go if they have questions or problems connected with work.
BENEFITS, SERVICES AND COSTS: Employees are always interested in the benefits and services their company offers. Provide facts so employees can refer to the handbook when they have questions. Even though many people don’t care what benefits cost to the company, it does not hurt to remind employees of the costs of benefits such as vacations and health and life insurance. Creating awareness that these services are part of your overhead may help employees realize the need for their cooperation in containing costs. For example, one company ends its section on benefits and services by saying:
"These facts mean that we can afford to maintain these benefits only as long as the company operates successfully. That depends on the cooperation and efforts of everyone here. We hope you make possible this extra security for you and your family. That’s the way things work at (company name): the better the job each of us does, the brighter our future will be."
POSITION ON UNIONS: This section of an employee handbook often is overlooked. If your company is non-union and wishes to remain union-free, I strongly suggest you include a non-union statement. My experience has shown that very often when union organizers show up, they are free to speak at will, unless the employees know that the company doesn’t want nor need a union. Here is an example of how one company incorporated a non-union statement into their handbook;
"We don’t have a union at (Company Name) and we don’t want a union . .
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