Crafting an Effective Employee Handbook

Understanding the Importance of an Employee Handbook

Do your employees know what is expected of them in different situations? More importantly, do you, as an employer, have clear expectations of your employees? Consider this scenario: A local journalist calls your office for an interview about a charity event your business is supporting. You are unavailable, so an employee takes the initiative to give the interview. Is this acceptable to you? Are all your employees or only specific ones allowed to interact with the media? Do they need your approval first? Are they aware of what to say and what to avoid during an interview? Do you require a post-interview report?

If you have an Employee Handbook, these are among the many topics you would have addressed. Regardless of your business size, an Employee Handbook is a crucial management tool that communicates your rules and expectations to your employees. Management consultants agree that an Employee Handbook is designed to ensure consistency and establish procedures for addressing a variety of issues. A well-crafted Employee Handbook covers not only media contact but also critical issues like employment terms, workplace health and safety, and employee theft.

Key Sections of an Employee Handbook

While the content of an Employee Handbook varies from one business to another, all handbooks should include the following main sections:

• Employee Code: This section should outline basic elements such as working hours, vacation time, salary and benefits, overtime, orientation procedures, and performance evaluations. It should also cover customer handling and other issues that arise during a typical workday. Job descriptions should also be included in this section.

• Employee Misconduct: This section should describe how employee misconduct will be addressed, including issues such as tardiness, persistent lateness, or employee theft.

• Sexual Misconduct: Even small and startup businesses are advised to include a policy item outlining unacceptable behaviors within the workplace. These policies, primarily designed to protect women in the workplace, also provide strong guidelines to prevent sexual misconduct in the work environment.

• Health & Safety Guidelines: When employees share responsibility for health and safety issues, the entire business benefits. Guidelines must comply with applicable local, provincial, and federal legislation.

• Internet Policy: This section should cover appropriate Internet and email usage. It should specify that employees may not use company email or other Internet resources for illegal activities, or to access or distribute pornography or copyrighted materials. An Internet Policy can be beneficial if you ever find yourself in court defending your business because an employee has used your email system to send threatening or harassing emails.

By having an Employee Handbook in place, employers are taking a proactive stand, rather than reacting to a negative situation when it occurs. The Employee Handbook should be required reading for all new employees, as well as for existing employees when any significant change has been made.