Your employee handbook is critical to your company’s success. An effective handbook details everything from culture and values to day-to-day expectations to policies that help ensure compliance with employment laws.
Since it’s vital that employees read your handbook, you should make it as simple as possible to access. So, if you haven’t considered moving your employee handbook online, you should — and not just because that’s what we do here at Blissbook.
In this article, we’ll discuss handbook creation, highlight the perks of going online, and provide some factors to help you choose a platform.
Your employee handbook serves as a guide for both new and existing employees, helping them navigate the company with ease. Creating an employee handbook may seem overwhelming at first, but we promise it’s worth the investment.
To make your life easier, we’ve outlined the policies you should include in your employee handbook.
Adding an acknowledgement statement in your employee handbook is not just a formality. It’s a safety net to document that your employees have received your handbook. Some acknowledgement statements go even further, asking employees for additional confirmation such as reading, understanding, or saying that they’ll comply with the policies included in the handbook.
But first, let’s understand the role of an employee handbook. It’s a fundamental document that helps you set expectations, guidelines, and policies for everyone in the company. Because your handbook is rich with content, it’s important to collect employee acknowledgement.
Here’s a guide to help you understand why you need an acknowledgement statement and how to make yours as effective as possible.
Imagine receiving a heartfelt message from the company CEO on your first day at a new job. When properly executed, this message has the power to make a strong first impression.
Employee handbooks introduce new hires (and reintroduce existing employees!) to your company culture, policies, and expectations. By integrating a personal message from the CEO, you can make everyone feel more welcome.
A CEO greeting communicates your company culture while showcasing leadership’s dedication. In this article, we’ll guide you through creating an effective CEO welcome message.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, the media has had plenty to talk about. States have quickly worked to pass laws, and organizers have been busy with demonstrations. Let’s not forget all of the in-depth analysis of the decision’s impact on upcoming elections. And, as expected, companies are issuing statements about how they’ll support employees in light of this long-standing change for women’s reproductive rights.
As the nation processes the implications of the decision, there’s a lot for HR professionals to navigate. In the simplest terms, we’ll tell you this: it’s complicated. Thankfully, we had a helpful discussion with attorney Amanda Farahany, a Managing Partner at Barrett & Farahany, who provided insight on some key workplace issues to consider.
Though it’s been a rough two years for everyone, HR professionals have experienced unprecedented levels of stress. In addition to the complexities of managing workplace virus protocols, HR professionals are feeling the brunt of employee turnover as the Great Resignation continues. COVID-19’s initial disruption caused widespread job losses as companies tried to stay afloat. Then, as the virus perpetuated, employees suffered from burnout, leading to voluntary resignations in record numbers.
In November of 2021, the U.S. saw its highest quit rate since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the data in December 2000. After peaking in November, the quit rate remains significantly elevated. January 2022 brought an additional 4.25 million resignations, compared to January 2021’s 3.31 million. Yikes.
Before we go any further, let’s take a look at the sources of our information. To develop this article, we looked at two surveys conducted last year. It’s important to note that this research was conducted prior to the introduction of the Omicron variant, which complicated things further.
SHRM’s 2021 Surviving the Great Resignation survey, which included responses from 200 executives, 1,150 employees, and more than 2,200 HR professionals from mid to late summer 2021
Though dress codes don’t carry the same clout they used to, it’s best to have a documented policy outlining employee dress expectations — even if it’s simple. Many employers have relaxed their dress codes given the increase in remote work and the desire to keep employees happy, but some environments still require them for the sake of cleanliness or safety. By documenting what’s acceptable and what’s not, your employees will know what you expect from them, leading to fewer awkward conversations. And, as with all policies, remind your employees why the dress code exists.
Your phone chimes, alerting you to a new email. You quickly discover it’s from a former coworker and read the first few lines: “I am participating in a fundraiser for [insert cause]. Will you donate?” Though you don’t delete the email immediately, you close the message because you know its exact purpose: to get you to donate. You’ll think about it, or, more likely, you’ll start thinking of rational-sounding reasons not to contribute.
Imagine, instead, if you open the email and you’re greeted with the following introduction: “June 5th started off like any other day, but it ended with a life-changing diagnosis.” ‘Whoa, where is this going?’ you think. As you continue reading, you learn that your former coworker is fighting a serious illness and is raising money for the cause. You reach for your wallet, inspired to support an old colleague.
What exactly was the difference between the two messages?
Whether or not this is your first rodeo, creating or overhauling an employee handbook is a big project. If you know the traps you might encounter along the way, you can devise a plan to avoid them. These five pieces of advice will help you steer clear of common pitfalls during your next handbook project.
Feeling hesitant about taking the handbook updating plunge? We know it’s hard. Before diving head-first into our complete How to Write Policies and Procedures guide, test the waters with these top tips for writing policies and procedures.
