Important Policies for Any Employee Handbook

During every new employee orientation, it is customary to provide your new employee with all pertinent tax paperwork as well as an employee handbook. This kind of handbook serves two functions. It will highlight your expectations for the work place, and can serve to make all legal requirements very clear as well. The following are 10 employee policies to incorporate into any employee handbook.



1. Standard Rules of Conduct: It is highly suggested to avoid adding a checklist of disciplinary steps in your employee handbook, but instead you should make it very clear which behaviors will not be accepted and may contribute to prompt termination. Damage to property, napping on the job, substance abuse, theft, or any other factors along these lines could be included.



2. Employee Problem Solving Procedures: This is the part of the employee manual which should include more targeted disciplinary measures that might be considered, short of actual termination. The employee manual can serve as a workplace problem solving aid for supervisors and employees alike.



3. Workplace Discrimination and Harrassment Policies: Make sure that your company demonstrates that it has a zero-tolerance policy on work place discrimination and / or harassment of any type.



4. Work Place Security and No Weapons Policy: Stipulate through the employee handbook exactly what your stance is on weapons in the workplace. Explain everything that your company is doing, (and what employees should do), to stay safe, and the consequences of breaking workplace security and safety guidelines. Any sort of detailed information on security procedures can also be included within this specific portion of the manual.



5. Alcohol and Drugs Policies: It's important to have a substance free work place, which can also be included in your employee handbook.



6. At-Will Employment Policy: This is the section of the manual where you should make clear whether the employee is actually working with the organization "at will" and consequently may be fired at any time. Some regions have particular laws and regulations in respect to whether an employee can be dismissed without having due process even if your business presides within an "employment at will" region. You will need to be careful here and do your homework; or ideally do business with a company that is an expert in creating fully customized and legally compliant employee handbooks for businesses.



7. Confidentiality Policy: In order to safeguard intellectual property or any other propriatary data, you will want to include a policy in the handbook that requires the employee to maintain confidentiality.



8. Electronic Communications Policy: Are employees allowed to make use of e-mail for personal use? Is it okay to use the Internet in order to shop online? If there are limits about the use of business e-mail and the Internet, you need to make your position clear in this area.



9. Family and Medical Leave Policy: There may be unique regulations for each State relating to required sick days or medical leave for staff.



10. Benefits Policy: This is the section where you can add in summary details relating to your company's medical or paid time off benefits.



You can create your own policies, or take advantage of employee handbook software or other employee handbook solutions. No matter what you choose, utilizing at the very least a simple employee handbook is an essential tool for all businesses, no matter how small.





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Do you need help with small business hr? Check out Dianne Shaddock's blog, Easy Small Business HR. The easy to understand and implement human resources advice for small business owners.