Chances are you’re on the hunt to make your employee handbook a genuine guide that protects your team and your business, not just a snooze-fest of dos and don’ts. This ideal handbook goes beyond rigid rules; it’s a dynamic guide that reflects your company’s mission and values and supports your employees.
Why does it matter? Aside from shielding your company against legal disputes, a well-constructed handbook indicates that your company isn’t just going through the motions of legal compliance. It tells your team that their rights matter, they’re working in a company with purpose that respects and honors those rights, and it ensures everyone’s on the same page about what’s cool and what’s not at work.
Stick with us as we walk you through the required laws for your handbook, ensuring you’re ticking all the legal boxes while also keeping things approachable and relatable for your team of non-lawyer humans. Your handbook shouldn’t just be legally compliant; it should be a user-friendly resource that everyone in your company understands and values.
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.
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.
As an employer, one of your handbook’s most important policies is the one that prohibits harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Employees rely on you to create a work environment where everyone feels safe and respected. Failure to do so will lead to a long list of imminent difficulties. So, are you ready to make your employees feel valued or what?
Employees expect to see a policy against harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in your company handbook. In fact, aside from policies about taking time off work, your anti-harassment policy is likely one of the most frequently reviewed. It deserves your time and attention, just like your employees deserve to work in an environment where they can thrive.
And, as with all handbook policies, be sure to explain why the policy has been developed. It’s much more than a means to prevent legal woes — it speaks to your company and its culture, too.
Funny seeing you here. After wearing our thinking caps and racking the brains of HR professionals and employment attorneys, we created an expansive resource on how to write policies and procedures. And, if that wasn’t enough, it even comes with a companion workbook. Now we’re talking!
Anyway, enough about us. To keep your HR, leadership and policy management game strong, check out the articles we found over the past couple weeks.
✦ ✦ ✦
Article of the Week: Whoops, back to us. Normally we bury the Article of the Week and have you hunt for it by looking for the ✦. However, we’ll make it extra simple this time:
It’s Juneteenth, aka Freedom Day. On June 19, 1865, almost two-and-a-half years after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, slaves in Texas were officially declared free. Learn more about the importance of Juneteenth.
To stay as savvy as possible, take a look at some of the best HR, leadership, and policy management articles we found over the past couple weeks.
✦ ✦ ✦
Article of the Week: Sticking with the day’s theme, consider ways you can incorporate Juneteenth into your company culture. Though your workplace might look different this year, the Article of the Week can help you get a head start on Juneteenth 2021 (look for the ✦ below).
Welcome to Friday! Did you know The “Truman Show” was released 22 years ago today? You know what they say: time flies when you’re getting older. If you need an escape, consider watching it this weekend.
Before you call it quits for the day, take some time to read the best HR, leadership, and policy management articles we found over the past couple weeks.
✦ ✦ ✦
Article of the Week: You’re not alone if you find yourself feeling heartbroken and/or powerless. The Article of the Week includes some suggestions if you find yourself wondering what you can do to combat racism (look for the ✦ below).
Another week is [almost] in the books! It’s an unusual time for employers and employees alike. Sometimes disrupting the routine can lead to innovation, so we hope you’re stumbling upon some discoveries within the uncertainty.
Below we’ve included some of the best HR, leadership, and policy management articles we found over the past couple weeks.
✦ ✦ ✦
Article of the Week: In the workplace, training can be a necessary evil. This week’s featured article provides helpful information to turn attendance into engagement (look for the ✦ below).
It’s Friday the 13th … and it kind of feels like it. We can all agree that anxiety levels are running quite high. As the seriousness of COVID-19 escalates, it’s important that we look out for each other; this is an “us” thing.
While you (hopefully) work from home, take a look below at some of the best HR, leadership, and policy management articles we found over the past couple weeks. But, most importantly, be safe.
✦ ✦ ✦
Article of the Week: Do you like to shop ‘til you drop? We figured we’d clothes out the week with something a little different. This week’s highlighted article features some anti-shopaholics (look for the ✦ below).
It’s MLK Jr.’s birthday week! Though his actual birthday was on Wednesday the 15th, the American federal holiday falls on Monday. It’s hard to choose just one of his quotations, but here goes:
—
“Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.”
–Martin Luther King Jr., October 26, 1967
—
Take steps toward becoming the best by reading some of the top HR, leadership, and policy management articles we found over the past couple weeks.
✦ ✦ ✦
Article of the Week: More than 264 million people are living with depression, and there’s a good chance you work with at least one of them. This week’s featured article gives insight into managing depression in the workplace (look for the ✦ below).
