Don’t Do THIS When It Comes To Your Employee Handbook
When it comes to your business, developing a concise employee handbook is important. Handbooks should outline your business policies, programs and benefits as well as your expectations for employees. With a proper handbook in place, your business should have a collaborative workplace working towards a common goal. Here at Kmet Consulting, you can count on us for all of your human resources needs (including help with developing an employee handbook to fit your business needs). Check out these 5 things to avoid while creating an employee handbook for a well-organized business.
1. Don’t Make Your Handbook a Contract- When creating an employee handbook, make sure that it clearly states that the handbook is not a contract. Doing this will protect your business from being sued if a term stated in the handbook is broken. In addition, you should clearly state in your handbook that one’s employment may be terminated at any point by either the employee or the employer without statement of cause or an advance notice.
2. Don’t Use a “One-Size-Fits-All” Handbook for Your Company- At Kmet Consulting, we understand that no two companies are alike. This should apply to your handbook as well. Depending on the size of your company, some laws may not apply to your business. Create a custom handbook that pertains to your business size and what services/products you provide. It is also a great idea to include your company values so employees interact with clients and one another accordingly to your values.
3. Don’t Group Local, State and Federal Law Together- With each level of law, comes new rules and restrictions. It is important to take a careful look at your local law when creating an employee handbook. While federal and state law is important, local law most likely pertains the most to your business practices.
4. Don’t Focus Only on Employee Labor Laws- In addition to employee labor laws, your employee handbook should also include policies surrounding social media and technology. Whether your business uses social media or not, technology pertains to almost every company today. From employees’ personal devices to your company’s use of technology (including social media and computers), technology likely plays an important role in your workplace and it’s important to create policies that address proper use.
5. Don’t Use Jargon and Lingo That May Be Hard to Understand- While using legal terms is important to make an employee handbook professional and valid, try to avoid using jargon and lingo that some people may not understand. When a new employee joins your company, they may not initially know some of the terms that are specific to your business. Make sure that the language used in your handbook is easy to understand.
Are you not sure where to start when it comes to creating a handbook that fits your business? Give Kmet Consulting a call at 877-783-5638! We aim to help businesses of all sizes when it comes to their HR needs. Our HR consulting company provides customized solutions based on your business. From creating employee handbooks to employee recruiting to effective training, Kmet Consulting is here for you and your business.
sue@kmetconsulting.com
877-783-5638
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