8 Tips on Producing an Appealing Employee Handbook
Most startups and small businesses don’t have an employee handbook but handbooks are extremely beneficial to have in place. Although they aren’t a legal requirement, they allow you to communicate these primary topics: Communicate your expectations;
- Safeguard your business; and
- Showcase your Organization
Making the employee handbook a part of the welcome package for new hires can complement the employment contract, orientation and training process.
8 Tips to create an Effective Employee Handbook
- Define your voice and use it throughout – The employee handbook can be a resource to tell the story of your brand and company culture. Ask yourself, “who are we” in the content of your handbook. Consider opening the handbook with a personalized welcome letter. Set expectations – Always include the policies and procedures that are applicable to all your employees. Transparency is something employees expect from a leadership team and is also expected from them. You can focus on the positives by clarifying the importance of these policies.
- Personify your company’s values – Express your expectations in the same tone you present yourself to your employees. Focus on how you define your employment relationship. Using humor is a great way to ease of the situation if used appropriately.
- Promote your perks – If you’ve got it, flaunt it! Highlight the perks your employees enjoy and elaborate on the reasons your employees love to come to work.
- Take time to do your research – Keeping up with the changing labour laws and employment standards specific to your business is very essential. Those updates should also be reflected in your handbook. In case of any confusions with the labour law, consult an HR professional who can guide you through the process.
- Make it readable – Make the employee handbook relatable and easy to read. Use images to increase the overall appeal of the content. Try to keep it short and sweet..
- Make it accessible – Whether in hardcopy or an electronic format, always make your handbook readily available to your employees and reference it regularly.
- Maintain relevancy – Make timely updates in the employee handbook so it stays current with changes in labour laws. Try to make regular updates in the content so that it reflects your workplace culture.
For employers who already have an employee handbook, read about How You Can Effectively Communicate Workplace Policy Changes to Your Employees
