Do you have an Effective Employee Handbook?

If your company has employees, it is imperative that you have an effective handbook. Your employee handbook is one of the main ways you can communicate your company’s ideals and goals to your employees. It also helps establish trust between an employer and employee because well-drafted employee handbook can create a reliable work environment that promotes loyalty between the parties.

• Business Mission Statement . Your employees want to know what the company’s goals are for the future. Outlining your entity’s mission statement in the handbook allows your employees to connect with and relate to what the company is striving to achieve.
• Policies . The employee handbook should thoroughly discuss a wide range of topics that relate to the employer-employee relationship. For example, topics such as discrimination, sexual harassment, overtime , leave time, disciplinary procedures and other similar topics should be clearly addressed and discussed.
• Disclaimer . It is essential for the employee handbook to state that it is not a contract of employment. The handbook should clarify that the nature of the employment relationship is “at-will,” unless otherwise agreed to by the parties in writing. This disclaimer is important because it prevents a terminated employee from arguing that the handbook was an employment agreement that provides him or her with a breach of contract claim.
• Dispute resolution . When a dispute arises, the employee handbook should provide a clear step by step process that must be followed. This may include a requirement that internal complaints be filed before any further action can be taken by the employee.
• Workplace violence . An employee handbook should clearly state that the employer will not condone bullying or workplace violence and that all reports will be taken seriously and investigated. While having this type of policy will not prevent bullying or violence, it puts your employees on notice that disciplinary measures may be taken. The handbook should set forth how employees should report workplace violence and how the investigations will be conducted.
• Social media . Social media is a part of everyday life for most employees, so your handbook should discuss employment issues that could arise from their use of social networks. For example, an employer should set clear limitations on posting non-public information.