Virtues of an Employee Handbook
While employers generally are not required by law to issue an employee manual or handbook, there are many practical reasons to do so, even though compiling an employee manual seems like an enormous task. Thankfully, an employee leasing company like PEP can make it much easier by helping you create and maintain your employee manual. It will be a tool you can use throughout the life of your company.
Right off the bat, an employee manual saves time. When an employee begins working with you, it could take a full day or more to sit down and discuss company policies like dress code, sick time, and health benefits. Then, as time goes by, each employee will most certainly have questions about rules and policies. The employee handbook outlines everything in one clear, concise vehicle. It’s something an employee can keep and refer back to again and again.
During the employee’s tenure with your company, the employee manual will prevent misunderstandings. By creating standards for the workplace, your employees will be more confident knowing the company’s expectations, goals, and benefits. The employee manual provides the framework for a better relationship with your employees.
The employee manual also can improve relationships between your employees. Since there will be documented, consistent personnel policies that apply to everyone, your employees will feel they are treated more fairly in the workplace.
If a misunderstanding does occur and you have to discipline an employee, you can fall back on the employee manual. It’s an easy way to remind employees what they agreed upon when they were hired with the company.
Here are some subjects you might include in your employee handbook:
- An introduction of your company: history, goals, philosophy
- Work hours, lunch hours, breaks
- Pay issues: policies about when paychecks will arrive, pay advances, overtime, leave without pay
- Benefits: insurance, tuition reimbursement, vacation, sick days
- Conduct: dress code, timeliness, attendance, harassment, substance abuse issues
- General information: parking, building policies, locations of restaurants and banks
One of the only downsides to an employee manual is, if you are not careful, a manual can be used against you in court. The benefits definitely outweigh the risks, but it’s wise to have expert assistance with your employee handbook. PEP can help you avoid the legal pitfalls of wording your employee manual. Call us at 1-800-650-3002 for more information.
