5 Best Services to Create an Employee Handbook

Creating an employee handbook might seem overwhelming and complex, but it doesn’t have to be! We’ve rounded up the best services out there to help you craft a handbook that’s not only thorough but also easy to digest. An employee handbook is your go-to resource for outlining your company’s policies, setting clear expectations, and defining your workplace culture. It’s essential for keeping everyone in the loop and making sure your team knows exactly what’s expected of them right from the start.

Why bother with a professional service? Putting together a comprehensive and compliant employee handbook can be tricky. There’s a lot to consider—from legal requirements to the finer nuances of your company culture. Using a specialized service ensures that you cover all your bases without getting bogged down in the details. So, if you’re looking to streamline the process and get it right the first time, stick around as we explore the top picks for creating a standout employee handbook.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Service to Create an Employee Handbook

When you’re on the hunt for the perfect service to create your employee handbook, there are a few key factors you should consider to make sure you pick the right one. Let’s break down what to look for:

Ease of Use 

You want a service that’s straightforward and user-friendly. The whole point of using a service is to make your life easier, not to complicate it with a clunky interface or confusing features. Look for services that offer clear instructions and support, so you can focus on customizing your handbook, not figuring out how the tool works.

Customizability

No two companies are the same, and your employee handbook should reflect your unique business culture and policies. Ensure the service you choose offers plenty of options to customize your handbook. Whether it’s adjusting the language to match your company tone or adding specific policies unique to your industry, flexibility is key.

Compliance Features

This is a biggie. The last thing you want is to distribute a handbook that’s not up to legal standards. Opt for a service that stays up-to-date with employment laws and regulations. Some services even offer features that alert you when laws change, so your handbook can always be compliant without you having to track legislation yourself.

Pricing

Budget is always a consideration. Services can range from free basic templates to premium packages with all the bells and whistles. Think about what you really need from the service and evaluate if the price aligns with the features offered. Sometimes it’s worth paying a bit more for a service that saves you time and legal headaches down the road.

Taking the time to evaluate these factors will help you choose a service that not only meets your needs but also enhances the process of creating an effective employee handbook.

Top 5 Services to Create Your Employee Handbook

With numerous options available, finding a service that aligns with your specific needs can be an immense task. To help you navigate through the choices, we’ve compiled a list of the top seven services that specialize in employee handbook creation. Each service offers unique features aimed at simplifying the process, ensuring legal compliance, and providing the flexibility to personalize your handbook to your company’s ethos. Here’s a detailed look at what each service offers to help you make the best choice for your organization.

Blissbook

Blissbook is a cloud-based tool designed to make your handbook creation process as smooth as possible. It focuses on blending ease of use with rich customization options to match your company values and culture.

Highlighted Features

Blissbook offers a dynamic editor, collaboration tools for team input, and rich multimedia integration to add videos and images, making your handbook engaging and interactive.

  • Compliance Reporting at Your Fingertips: Blissbook documents all policy changes and interactions, enabling you to generate detailed reports effortlessly. This feature allows for thorough tracking and auditing of your compliance documentation.
  • Communicate Changes with Employees: Update thousands of employees about policy changes in a personalized manner. Blissbook’s digital sticky notes can be attached to policies, adding necessary context directly alongside new or updated content.
  • Personalized Content: Transform multiple handbooks and policies into a streamlined, personalized experience. Employees log in to view only the content relevant to them, simplifying access and improving engagement.
  • Law Change Alerts and HR Policy Content: Stay informed with automatic updates on legal changes and receive expert HR consulting and fractional CHRO services to support your strategic needs.
  • Custom Branded Experience: Everything from the handbook interface to email communications can be custom branded. Blissbook offers a custom email sending account, a secure custom domain, and tailored designs for your handbooks and communications to reinforce your brand identity throughout the employee experience.

Pricing Details

Pricing is based on the size of your organization and specific needs, with a free demo available to help you explore its features before committing.

Pros and Cons

Users appreciate Blissbook for its user-friendly interface and customization capabilities. Blissbook consistently earns high praise from its users, with an impressive average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars based on more than 600 reviews.

SHRM

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) offers a comprehensive service that guides you through creating a detailed employee handbook.

Highlighted Features

SHRM provides step-by-step assistance, legal compliance checks, and accessible support from HR experts.

  • SHRM provides businesses with free, customizable employee handbook templates that align with the best practices in HR management. 
  • With the SHRM Employee Handbook Builder (EHB), you can create a custom handbook that’s always compliant, and receive notifications about updates in state and federal regulations that affect workplace policies. It offers both digital and printer-friendly access to the document, with state-specific filters and customizable fields filled with pre-populated staff policies and procedures. Its drag-and-drop, step-by-step interface makes it straightforward and user-friendly.

Pricing Details

Membership-based, with different tiers that include access to the handbook builder among other HR resources. There’s also a paid version if you don’t want to be a member and this includes a one-year subscription, with policy updates applicable across all 50 states. Throughout this period, you can update your employee handbook as needed, with unlimited revisions. A renewal notice will be sent as the subscription nears expiration.

Pros and Cons

Highly praised for thorough legal compliance tools and expert support. While the service is free for SHRM members, non-members must opt for the paid version to access the handbook builder, which might be a limitation for some users.

SixFifty

SixFifty combines legal expertise and technology to offer a dynamic employee handbook builder. SixFifty has teamed up with legal experts to craft an extensive library of employment documents that are relevant across all 50 U.S. states. They provide automated updates to ensure your handbook stays compliant with the ever-evolving legal landscape. As a partner of Blissbook, this collaboration enhances both services.

Highlighted Features

  • With SixFifty, you can select from a range of ready-to-customize legal documents. By answering questions specific to your business, SixFifty generates a tailored, compliant document that is more personalized than mere template filling—it’s designed to uniquely fit your business needs.
  • Stay up-to-date with legal changes without manually tracking them, as SixFifty automatically integrates these updates into your documents.
  • Use SixFifty’s online text editor to personalize your handbook. Start with a robust template, then modify the language, add text, and adjust the formatting to align with your company’s branding.

Pricing Details 

Custom pricing is dependent on the number of employees and the states in which they are located, ensuring you only pay for what you need. Explore included documents and features here.

Pros and Cons

Users value the comprehensive legal insights and customization. You can create legally-compliant handbooks without the need for expensive attorney fees.  

The main drawback noted is that handling the distribution of the handbook, including obtaining signatures and sending reminders, still requires management. Additionally, if your handbook covers many content areas or state-specific policies, it can become quite lengthy, sometimes exceeding 100 pages.

BLR’s Employee Handbook Builder

BLR’s Employee Handbook Builder offers a web-based service tailored to help you create custom, state-specific handbooks and stay compliant with current HR and employment laws.

Highlighted Features

BLR offers state-specific compliance guidance and regular updates to reflect the latest laws. It also allows for handbooks to be downloaded in various formats, making it convenient for distribution and updates.

A key feature of BLR’s platform is its collaborative functionality. Employers have the ability to bring multiple users on board to work together on the employee handbook, which greatly improves both efficiency and precision. Additionally, BLR’s handbook builder comes equipped with version control capabilities, simplifying the process of tracking and managing various editions of the handbook.

Pricing Details

Subscribing to the BLR Employee Handbook Builder includes coverage for all 50 states plus D.C. for a flat annual fee of $400. This flat-rate pricing simplifies budgeting for businesses of any size and ensures comprehensive legal compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

Pros and Cons

BLR is celebrated for its robust compliance features and intuitive interface, making the creation and customization of employee handbooks straightforward. The service offers competitive pricing and a variety of template options to meet the diverse needs of businesses.

However, the customization possibilities with BLR are somewhat more restricted than those offered by other market providers. There have also been reports of slow customer support response times, which could be problematic for users needing quick assistance.

Handbooks.io

Handbooks.io is a multi-state handbook builder that provides a straightforward and effective solution for creating employee handbooks online. 

Highlighted Features 

Handbooks.io allows you to create either a basic or comprehensive employee handbook, which you can save as an editable Word document for easy revisions. It ensures that all handbook content includes up-to-date, HR-approved language, maintaining high standards of professionalism and compliance. It also incorporates specific legal requirements tailored to your business’s location, covering state and city regulations.

In terms of distribution, it allows for easy collection of employee signatures electronically by sending them a link to sign the handbook. With a live link of the handbook, employees always have access to the latest updates and changes.

Another standout feature is they provide a dedicated HR manager to offload work from your team, assist with tasks, and ensure compliance with relevant laws.

Pricing Details

Handbooks.io provides several pricing options tailored to different business needs. For those seeking basic functionalities without any cost, there is a Free Basic Handbook available. For businesses in need of more detailed information, the Comprehensive Handbook is available as a one-time purchase for $79.95. Alternatively, for businesses that require continuous updates to stay compliant with changes in federal, state, and city-specific policies, there is a subscription model for the Comprehensive Handbook priced at $159.95 annually. 

Pros and Cons

Handbooks.io is considered the best employee handbook software for pre-loaded policies using HR-approved language. The variety of pricing options also ensures that businesses can choose a solution that best fits their specific requirements and budget.

How to Get the Most Out Of These Services

Maximizing the effectiveness of your employee handbook is essential for ensuring it serves as a reliable resource for your team. The right approach to using employee handbook builders can greatly enhance the utility and relevance of your handbook. Here’s how you can leverage the features of these services to create a comprehensive and effective employee handbook.

Leverage Customization Features

Start by fully taking advantage of the customization options offered by your chosen service. This includes tailoring the handbook to reflect your company’s unique culture and policies, ensuring it resonates well with your employees. For example, if you’re using Blissbook, utilize its ability to create a custom-branded experience that aligns with your company’s visual identity and messaging. When the handbook resonates with your company’s ethos, it reinforces your corporate identity and engages employees more effectively.

Utilize Compliance Tools

Compliance is a critical aspect of any employee handbook. Make the most of the built-in compliance tools and updates provided by services like SixFifty and BLR’s Employee Handbook Builder. These tools are designed to keep your handbook up-to-date with the latest federal, state, and city regulations. Regularly using these features minimizes the risk of legal issues and ensures that your handbook serves as a reliable guide for both management and staff.

Enhance Accessibility and Usability

Improve how employees interact with your handbook by making it accessible and easy to use. Services like Blissbook and Handbooks.io offer features like electronic signatures and live handbook links that can update in real-time. By ensuring the handbook is searchable and mobile-friendly, you allow employees to access critical information anytime, anywhere, which is especially beneficial in today’s increasingly remote and flexible work environments.

Incorporate Feedback Mechanisms

Feedback is vital for continuous improvement. Implement feedback mechanisms to gather insights directly from your employees regarding the utility and clarity of the handbook. This could be done through annual surveys, suggestion boxes, or digital feedback forms integrated within the handbook itself. Services like Blissbook allow for easy updates and revisions; use this to regularly refine the handbook based on actual employee needs and experiences. 

Regular feedback helps identify gaps and areas for improvement, making the handbook more effective and relevant to everyone in the organization.

Schedule Regular Reviews and Updates

Finally, make the most of the ongoing support and updates provided by your handbook platform. Services like SHRM typically offer subscription-based updates that help your handbook evolve alongside changes in the law and internal company policies. Set a schedule for regular reviews—at least annually—to reassess and update the handbook. This ensures that it remains a current and valuable resource for guiding your team’s actions and upholding company standards.

Final Thoughts

As we wrap up our exploration of the best services for creating an employee handbook, it’s clear that the right tools can simplify this crucial task while ensuring compliance, customization, and accessibility. Services like Blissbook, SHRM, and SixFifty provide comprehensive solutions tailored to meet diverse needs, ranging from legal compliance to customizable, brand-aligned content.

Blissbook particularly stands out with its robust features designed to help you effectively manage and customize your employee handbooks. For those looking to delve deeper into creating or refining their handbooks, Blissbook offers several free valuable resources:

If you’re ready to take action, we also encourage you to download our comprehensive checklist to help you through the process of writing your policies. 

Consider creating or updating your employee handbook with Blissbook. Start by requesting a demo and setting up a trial to experience firsthand how Blissbook can streamline your handbook creation process. This is your opportunity to create a handbook that not only meets legal standards but also resonates with your company culture and enhances employee understanding and compliance.

Angeli Pacatang

Angeli Pacatang

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