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Why You Need an Employee Manual
You want employees to project the right image and a handbook can help ensure that your workers are putting their best foot forward.
While drafting and maintaining an employee handbook may seem daunting to many employers, it actually can be a very useful tool to communicate work code and expectations to employees. When done properly, an employee handbook can serve as a resource that the staff will turn to for answers.
This is exactly why employers need to devote the resources necessary to assure clarity and consistency, according to Linda Swerling, principal of Brookline, Mass.-based consulting firm Level II Solutions. "Employees should be able to quickly turn to the book and know exactly where a firm sits on all of the most important topics," she says. "When you do not devote the adequate time to creating and maintaining the handbook in house, you end up with something that is virtually useless."
Industry Needs
In creating both online and hard copy versions of its handbook, Plymouth, Minn.-based real estate management firm Dominium Inc. found that employee apartments and fair housing were two areas specifically necessary in the residential housing industry. "On-call and call-back procedures were also key concerns specific to our industry," says Claudia Hanson, vice president of human resources. "Other than those examples, our handbook has the same policies as most other company's handbooks."
The key is to make sure that the employee handbook reflects the actual practices of the company, Hanson says. "It is of little value if the handbook says one thing, but the employees actually do another thing," she says. "It is a valuable resource to ensure that all of your locations are handling similar situations in the same way."
This was one of the key drivers in creating an online version at Dominium despite any technical challenges. "Having your handbook online is wonderful because everyone knows that the latest version of any policy is at their fingertips and they don't have to be concerned if their handbook is out of date," Hanson says. "It takes a little while to wean yourself off of the hard copy of the handbook and use the online version, but once you do, it is wonderful. The search option takes you right to the section of the handbook that applies to the situation. There may be more than one policy that applies, and in the online version it is much easier to quickly locate what you need."
Stick to the Basics
While many believe that each industry requires a large amount of customization, John Putzier, president of Prospect, Pa.-based human resources consulting firm FirStep Inc. points out that they should avoid filling the book with irrelevant topics or points that are too difficult for employees to understand—even if the business deals in technical fields. "While employee handbooks come in all shapes and sizes, the assumption that a specific field requires something different is a common misnomer. There are other means of handling that type of information that are not really appropriate for the basic employment handbook," he says. "Unfortunately, that is why so many employers drop the ball in the area of creating and embracing employee handbooks."
According to Putzier, there are certain provisions that are necessary whether you sell hamburgers, houses or hospitality. "The good news for employers is that they can create a very effective and comprehensive employee handbook without spending thousands on a lawyer," he says. "There are customizable templates available on the open market, which are even tailored to employer size, and whether or not a business is a federal contractor. This is important because these two variables determine the pertinent federal laws, such as COBRA, OSHA or FMLA. If you are subject to one of these laws, you need to cover it."
In addition to meeting the legal requirements determined by company size and market sector, Putzier recommends employers include a purpose; employment status and classification; general work specific rules, including attendance, attire and other like expectations; and time off and payroll policies. "People really do not want to put themselves in a position where no formal policies are place, and a handbook is an excellent way to deal with this issue," Putzier says.
