Employee handbook

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Employee handbooks

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Employee handbooks can take ages to write and need to be regularly updated as employment law changes.

"Off the shelf" products are no help to most organisations. The content needs to be your style and your policies.

So why bother .....

Image

This may be one of the first documents a prospective or new member of staff sees.
A grim list of "not allowed - must - discipline" gives a very poor impression.

Law

It often ends up as a key document at a tribunal. Critically the law lets you cross refer certain "rules" from the contract (Terms & Conditions Statement) to another source. These include Discipline & Dismissal, Grievances, arrangements for managing sickness absence, and pensions. The great advantage is that these guidelines then need not be "contractual" - they should not be.

Communications - helping staff

Where and how do you communicate guidelines on use of internet, mobile 'phones, what to do about (alleged) harassment, how to book holidays .... And easily update this information.

In summary, it can be written in a positive, employee-friendly manner, but there is no doubt that as well as achieving good communications, it is an excellent way to protect the employer.

We have produced many. They are all different, reflecting the unique policies and style of the client.

In drafting them we are using all our employment law and employee communications knowledge. These are professional HR documents. It takes time, but because of our experience we can produce a bespoke product at very reasonable cost, based on your policies, contracts or just your instructions.

Of course the exercise can be part of an overall review of policies, but it need not be.

Typically (but not necessarily) delivery is now via client intranet - which greatly eases the problem of updating. We can provide in html (web pages), Word, pdf's, whatever you require.

If you would like to see an example content list, click handbook contents.

How much? Well, it depends on where you are with HR policies, and how much detail you need. If all the essential policies are clear, and you do not need additional guidance, it will take little time. If you want a review of all policies, new policies recommended based on law and best practice, proposals/options reviewed with your senior management and perhaps a recognised trade union, the agreed drafts converted to an intranet site .... then that is substantial time and cost. But well worth it - such an exercise is only needed once every 5-10 years (providing it is maintained) and has very significant legal and communications benefits.

If you know you have a need - start from scratch or an update for new law and best practice - but cannot find the time, why not call and talk through what we could do to help you?

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External links: Employee surveys