Employee handbooks are a staple to any business and, when well written and properly communicated to your workforce, will provide an invaluable reference point for managers and employees alike.
It’s also true to say that employee handbooks can be perceived as an overload of information, rules and regulations. However, in reality, they also provide a golden opportunity to showcase your company’s mission statement, history and company values and all this in addition to providing invaluable guidance for onboarding new recruits on procedures such as; booking holiday, sick leave, disciplinary and grievance, performance management, family friendly policies and employee benefits. In essence, a good employee handbook can and should, have it all!
A well-crafted employee handbook is a clear introduction to your workplace and will on a day-to-day basis assist line managers in setting expectations of behaviours at work and in providing clear guidelines on the company’s rules and practices. An employee handbook also creates a level playing field amongst employees and written policies that hold everyone to the same standards and practices can prove crucial to ensuring a happy and engaged workforce.
When faced with employee disputes, your policies and procedures will help take the strain of HR issues, by guiding managers and employees through processes for managing disputes. Your handbook will also provide a single point of reference for business leaders when it comes to making decisions regarding employment, conduct or disciplinary action.
Common complaints made at the Employment Tribunal often relate to when organisations do not have clear and up to date HR policies and procedures in place for employees to follow, or, when there are internal policies, but the organisation has failed to follow them, or the ACAS code of practice. By putting in place clear guidance for your workforce and in following fair HR processes, you can minimise the risk to your business of an employment claim.
Here at Specialist HR Solutions Ltd, we have been providing comprehensive, cost-effective and up-to-date employment handbooks for small and medium-sized businesses for the last 10 years. If your business would benefit from this essential HR business tool, get in touch to find out how we can help.
For more information or to book an HR consultation please contact Karen Scott on 07762 629 448 or get in touch by clicking here.
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