In most roles I’ve begun, an worker handbook was the primary inner doc I learn. So naturally, I’d make a variety of assumptions concerning the type of place I used to be employed at primarily based on the worker handbook.
From trip insurance policies to decorate codes to nondiscrimination insurance policies, worker handbooks have given me a transparent overview of the dos, don’ts, rules, and expectations of my new position.
They’ve additionally helped pique my pleasure, particularly when the corporate mission, values, and tradition are laid out.
Beneath, I’ll cowl the significance of an worker handbook, 9 important parts to incorporate, an worker handbook template, and examples to assist information yours.
Desk of Contents
What’s an worker handbook?
An worker handbook is an exhaustive doc outlining a corporation’s insurance policies, procedures, and worker expectations.
It’s a vital useful resource for brand spanking new hires and present workers. Staff can overview their rights and tasks as members of the corporate.
Why is having an worker handbook essential?
Worker handbooks are important for a number of causes, for each the employer and workers. Right here’s why.
1. Inform new hires.
After I was employed at Paramount, I underwent a two-day orientation and onboarding.
Throughout this era, I acquired an worker handbook that outlined workers expectations. That doc included methods to advertise privateness, concord, security, and group.
The handbook was a useful useful resource for higher understanding Paramount’s tradition and the way I could possibly be an upstanding member of such a big, international group.
It was additionally a reduction to know this was a information I may constantly discuss with each time questions or issues arose.
2. Doc mandated insurance policies.
Paramount requires us to finish a number of common worker trainings, together with anti-sexual harassment, anti-discrimination, enterprise conduct, and extra. These trainings coincide with federal, state, and native legal guidelines that corporations should uphold.
Worker handbooks are an awesome place for corporations to stipulate these insurance policies to make sure all workers are given the data they want and that employers adjust to legal guidelines and rules.
3. Declare firm targets.
Most profitable corporations have cohesive vision propositions, mission statements, and values that provide context for the company’s purpose. These statements also guide employees toward a shared goal.
Modern employee handbooks include this information to guarantee all workers are immediately made aware of why they were hired and how they can play a role in the greater vision.
Reading this information in my employee handbooks also helped me grow enthusiasm and passion for my upcoming work.
What to Include in an Employee Handbook
Knowing where to begin is difficult when crafting an employee handbook. Check out the sections I have found most useful.
1. Introduction to Company and Values
As mentioned, I’ve found a lot of value in better understanding the company from an internal lens in an employee handbook.
While Paramount has a lot of externally-facing information, employees will get an inside scoop on what makes it so special.
This is a great way to begin the employee handbook, offering new employees an elevator pitch about why the company matters and why they should be excited to join it.
2. Code of Conduct
Here, I learned about the ethical standards and professional behavior expected at the company. It’s helpful to have a baseline of what the company expects of me ethically so I can remain an upstanding member of the community.
I’ve also learned a lot of basic employee-wide guidelines, such as hybrid office requirements and the dress code.
Overall, the code of conduct shares the company’s values and desired behavior that it wishes to foster in employees of all levels.
3. New Hire and Separation Policy
As a new hire at Paramount, I had endless questions about my new employment, particularly how and when to enroll for benefits. This section provides information about that, as well as more serious topics such as disciplinary systems.
In tandem, it provides information in case an employee wishes to depart the company for whatever reason.
Workers who don’t feel comfortable asking certain questions before announcing their leave can refer to the employee handbook to understand when their insurance coverage ends and if they will be paid out for unused time off.
4. Performance and Career Development Policies
Forward-thinkers like me are always planning for what’s next. When I start a new role, I want to feel confident that I’ll join a team that prioritizes my learning and career growth.
This section is a great place to lay out how promotions and raises occur, and what opportunities the company provides for employees to broaden their knowledge
5. Compensation and Benefits Policy
This section has been extremely vital to me as a new hire and long-standing employee.
It’s a great place to refer back to whenever I want to remind myself about my insurance coverage or sign up for a new program like tuition reimbursement.
It’s also where I go to understand my compensation. New hires will likely have questions about how they’re paid (weekly or bi-weekly) and how their payroll deductions look. It’s important information to have readily available.
6. Leave Policy
I’m grateful to work on a team and at a company that encourages me to take time off for vacation, sick time, and personal days. I learned a lot of this information in the employee handbook.
Since I’m not a salaried employee, the handbook explained how many PTO and sick days I received per calendar year, as well as what federal holidays the company observes.
It’s helpful to be able to refer back to this guidance when planning vacations and future time off.
7. Equal Employment and Nondiscrimination Policy
As a young woman of color, working at a company that recognizes the importance of diversity and inclusion is an absolute priority.
I pride myself on working for a team with all kinds of people who have diverse perspectives, which makes our work stronger.
I believe all companies should highlight these policies in their employee handbooks so new hires know from the get-go that the company is serious about who it wants to contribute to the culture.
8. Computers and Technology Policy
Many companies like mine have embraced a hybrid work environment, meaning we go into the office a few days a week and work remotely the other days.
For this reason, employees at my company receive company-owned devices, such as laptops and phones.
This can lead to many security and privacy issues, so I recommend including a section in the employee handbook that communicates regulations around using company-owned devices and programs.
9. Health and Safety Policies.
My company conducts bi-annual fire and safety procedure walkthroughs with security. However, as a new hire, I was eager to know these protocols from the start, since I had just missed the last round of walkthroughs.
The employee handbook is a good place to detail security procedures, such as requiring badges for entry and protocols in the case of emergency events, such as a fire.
This also helps reduce company liability by ensuring this important life-preserving information is provided to all new hires.
10. Non-Disclosure Agreement and Confidentiality Policy
One of the perks of being at my company is being privy to data, information, and plans that are not for the public eye. But with this opportunity comes a big responsibility to preserve the confidentiality of this knowledge.
Therefore, it’s essential to clarify in the employee handbook what is considered confidential information for internal operations and clients and how to maintain privacy to ensure it’s not misused or shared externally.
11. Signature Page
The most important part of the employee handbook is when employees actually agree to all the policies, procedures, and systems laid out.
This ensures employees read and agree to the terms of the handbook and that the company is protected in the case of a wrongful termination lawsuit.
Now that I’ve conveyed the areas I’ve found valuable in my employee handbooks, let me share a template that dives more deeply into what to include in each section.
Employee Handbook Template
Employee Handbook for [Company Name]
Introduction to Company and Values
- Describe the company’s history, including when, by whom, and why it was founded.
- Lay out the company mission statement.
- Include insight into the company culture and what elements are prioritized in the workplace, such as autonomy or continuous education.
Code of Conduct
- Offer a general overview of ethics and compliance, which allow the company to fairly regulate and assess an individual’s behavior.
- Detail important policies, including tardiness, dress code, and disciplinary actions.
- Provide resources for employees to reference when encountering ethical predicaments.
New Hire and Separation Policy
- Let new employees know whether they need to wait to receive their benefits (and how long) and what steps to take if an employee wants to quit.
- Outline the progressive discipline policy, which is a structured approach to addressing employee misconduct or performance issues using increasingly strict steps that allow employees to correct errors.
- Summarize what benefits employees are entitled to and for how long, if terminated.
Performance and Career Development Policies
- Lay out the employee evaluation process and at what cadence these reviews should be set up with managers.
- Explain when and how promotions happen, as well as training and learning opportunities.
Compensation and Benefits Policy
- Detail critical benefits regarding health care, dental, vision, life insurance, and stocks.
- Share information about other employee benefits, such as tuition reimbursement, commuter benefits, parking, employee referral bonuses, and 401(k) plans.
- Provide guidance regarding compensation, such as total salary, payroll deductions, and compensation increases for specific job descriptions.
- Document the payment schedule for each employee (weekly or bi-weekly).
Leave Policy
- Share how much paid and unpaid vacation time employees receive.
- Clarify policies around sick time, medical leave, and paid family leave and ensure these comply with U.S. Department of Labor laws, if relevant.
- Checklist firm holidays.
Equal Employment and Nondiscrimination Coverage
- Embody an employment and nondiscrimination coverage, per The U.S. Division of Labor Equal Employment Opportunity regulation.
- Reiterate to workers that discrimination or harassment will not be tolerated within the office.
Computer systems and Know-how Coverage
- Relay what workers can and may’t do with their offered expertise.
- Inform whether or not the corporate has the suitable to view emails despatched on firm computer systems, if social media ought to be prevented on these units, and the way a lot privateness they need to anticipate whereas utilizing firm property.
- Share if any actions carried out on firm expertise are fireable offenses.
Well being and Security Insurance policies
- Define office security pointers, corresponding to badge utilization, visitor insurance policies, and prohibited objects.
- Relay very important emergency procedures within the occasion of a fireplace or safety lockdown.
- Let workers know their rights as administered by The Occupational Security and Well being Administration (OSHA).
Non-Disclosure Settlement and Confidentiality Coverage
- Checklist what data workers should preserve non-public, corresponding to the corporate‘s inner marketing strategy, shopper data, and workers’ monetary account data.
- Share methods workers can guarantee privateness and confidentiality, corresponding to avoiding public wifi, by no means leaving firm units unattended, and requesting NDAs from companions earlier than sharing paperwork.
Signature Web page
- Embody a signature web page on the finish of the worker handbook that states the worker has learn and agreed to the data detailed within the worker handbook.
For those who’d like an much more seamless, plug-and-play template, take a look at HubSpot’s free employee handbook template that gives a basis to combine your model’s personalised messaging and knowledge.
Pattern Worker Handbook
I like to recommend you create an worker handbook that’s distinctive and specific to your tradition and firm values.
Nevertheless, I’ve developed a pattern worker handbook to assist get you began. I open with an organization overview and details about the enterprise’ values.
Many sections are too private and legally delicate to incorporate in a pattern.
As an example, evaluate state and federal legal guidelines and get in touch with a lawyer when writing a non-disclosure settlement. After the intro, I like to recommend including details about your tradition code. Then, you possibly can speak about particular insurance policies.
After this part, I like to recommend itemizing out any related worker advantages. That features their compensation, advantages, and paid day off.
The final portion of my pattern handbook options bracketed sections that relate to authorities rules. If this had been my enterprise, I would come with that data then ask for an worker signature.
Worker Handbook Examples
I’ve established that a number of sections in an worker handbook are pretty commonplace — to not point out legally required. Moreover, many insurance policies are for inner eyes solely, making them inaccessible to curious weblog writers.
Subsequently, I’ve gathered a listing of inventive, distinctive tradition pages, books, and codes.
These are terrific methods to start an worker handbook. They transcend a standard firm historical past and overview to embrace daring design, humor, and imaginative language and precisely painting the corporate’s tradition to new hires.
In fact, these examples will not be standalone worker handbooks, however take a web page out of those manufacturers’ books to jazz up an in any other case mundane, standardized doc.
1. Warby Parker
Warby Parker is a modern, inexpensive eyewear model from whom I’ve bought one too many pairs of eyeglasses. Its tradition e-book is designed as a digital information, representing its fashionable, modern model qualities effectively.
I particularly love the aesthetically pleasing shade scheme, smooth fonts, imagery, and humorousness.
Whereas I’m fascinated about an organization’s origin, I don’t essentially wish to learn a prolonged historical past e-book about it.
Warby Parker does an outstanding job of protecting its historical past quick and simply digestible by designing the origin story as a textual content dialog and the historical past as a visible timeline.
Lastly, I like the emphasis on the corporate values, framed as “Our Promise.” This reveals that these statements aren’t simply issues the model values and hopes to perform however vows to.
If I had been an worker at this firm, I’d really feel assured that it is a place that encourages creativity, doesn’t take itself too severely, and prioritizes the well-being of its workforce.
2. Netflix
Netflix’s tradition web page is a superb instance of how a model can personalize its worker handbook for potential, new, and long-time hires.
Whereas an worker handbook has a variety of essential, necessary data, it will possibly additionally excite workers.
In contrast to Warby Parker, this web page has a crisp and clear black-and-white design. Nevertheless, I believe this works effectively with the language used. It’s a honest and trustworthy ode to the tradition they’ve and aspire to have.
I like the above introduction, because it authentically reveals what Netflix prioritizes in its workforce whereas admitting that it generally falls in need of these targets and is a piece in progress.
As a brand new rent, becoming a member of an organization that prides itself on perfection is intimidating, so it’s a reduction to know you could be part of the continual development.
Beneath is a snapshot of how Netflix outlines its guidelines, with out getting too into the weeds (that’s for inner, employed workers).
I admire this part as a result of it calls out that there are strict guidelines for important insurance policies, corresponding to harassment and privateness.
However then, the model personalizes by stating a few of their much less critical insurance policies, corresponding to “Take trip” being their trip coverage, and “Act in Netflix’s finest pursuits” being the bills coverage.
Language like this provides essential data whereas providing context concerning the firm tradition. There’s a method to be critical about critical issues and playful concerning the enjoyable elements of an worker handbook.
3. HubSpot
To not toot our personal horn, however the HubSpot Tradition Code is fairly nice.
Certainly one of my many favourite elements is that it’s in a slide presentation format. This makes it really feel much less daunting and extra accessible to flip by way of every now and then, somewhat than digging by way of a prolonged doc.
I admire that HubSpot acknowledges the Tradition Code as extra than simply an worker handbook — it’s a lifestyle. It goes past the required by explaining the hows and whys new hires care about.
In any case, job descriptions describe quite a bit a few position however much less about the way it feels to be part of the group.
Because the Tradition Code is 128 slides, there’s a fast abstract of the tenets on slide 17. Not solely does this operate as a form of desk of contents, however it additionally works as a set of firm values that will likely be influential.
The HubSpot Tradition Code seamlessly combines essential insurance policies and knowledge for brand spanking new hires with motivational, modern messages. It conveys key authorized and cultural factors in the identical presentation.
As an example, within the slide proven above, new hires obtain express details about profession growth alternatives out there on the firm.
This aligns with the Efficiency and profession growth insurance policies mentioned above whereas being reassured that HubSpot prioritizes profession development simply as a lot as its merchandise.
I’m additionally a giant fan of quick, clear mottos which might be straightforward to recall and apply to a number of difficult conditions. Issues can get complicated in a brand new job, so connecting an issue to the fundamentals may help new hires put their work into perspective.
You’ll be able to see this idea exemplified within the following slide.
Now that I’ve walked by way of some highly effective worker handbook samples, learn on for code of conduct samples.
Code of Conduct Samples
The code of conduct, which follows the corporate overview part of an worker handbook, is essentially essential and equally as troublesome to craft from scratch.
That’s why I’ve included some actual examples of profitable and provoking codes of conduct:
Extra Than a Handbook
I’ve by no means thought of how important an worker handbook could be. I’ve referred to a lot of mine earlier than for understanding my rights and tasks.
Nevertheless, engaged on this submit taught me that an worker handbook additionally provides the chance to model one of many first paperwork new hires contact.
It’s a possibility to share an organization’s persona and what makes it a tremendous place to work. Your new rent had the prospect to impress you — now it’s your alternative to impress them.
Editor’s observe: This submit was initially printed in December 2018 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
