Having an up-to-date, detailed and accessible employee handbook is key in helping you support and manage your team.  It is the one stop shop that explains how the workplace works, covering how your business operates as well as setting out the framework of rules and regulations that everyone needs to comply with.  Whether it’s what to wear, who to speak to if you have a Health and Safety concern, when pay day is or how to plan for maternity leave, a well-crafted employee handbook serves as a point of reference for new hires, established staff and line managers alike.

What is the benefit of having an employee handbook?

Having an employee handbook ensures that you are compliant with the law relating to employment.  And as employment law evolves constantly, keeping your handbook up-to-date is an ongoing process of revisions.  Having appropriate policies and procedures in place ensures that you and your managers know how to deal with issues AND helps protect the business if and when any disputes arise.

In any setting where lots of people are together for long periods of time, conflicts can occur, and the workplace is of course no exception. If you have clearly laid out rules and processes within a handbook, everyone is able to access this information and refer to it as needed. And when it comes to dealing with workplace grievances, you need to be sure to follow the correct procedure to help avoid future liability.

Employee handbooks also cover “how things are done around here” so form a key part of the employee induction experience. Finding out how to book annual leave, what your values are, and information about employee benefits are just a few examples of items that will be really important in setting the scene at the start of the employee experience.

Clear policies and procedures also protect your business too, because they demonstrate that you are fair and transparent with your team and have communicated your expectations to everyone. You will be glad of this if you are ever in the unfortunate position of needing to defend yourselves against tribunal claims.

What does an Employee Handbook include?

The broad headings for the contents of an employee handbook include:

Employment Information – all the basics that your employees will need relating to their employment with you.

Policies and procedures –these outline the rules to follow within the working environment.

Pay and benefits – such as when you conduct pay reviews, details of who to contact about your pension provision, and signposting to discounts and support such as an Employee Assistance Programme.

Learning and development – starting with initial induction and covering training opportunities as well as details of any sponsorship or study leave arrangements.

Time off – covering the many reasons that someone might not be at work – this is not limited to annual leave and sickness absence.

How do employers manage their handbook?

Someone from within the business should have overall responsibility for the employee handbook, including any updates that are required due to business changes or new employment legislation. Employers should set out details of the position holding that responsibility.

But keeping it up to date is not easy…

As well as supplying you with a comprehensive and compliant employee handbook, Pure Human Resources can help you on an ongoing basis to ensure that any amendments that you need to make are done in a timely manner, as and when legislative changes arise.

For support with creating or maintaining your employee handbook, contact us today.