employee handbook design

7 Common Employee Handbook Design Fails (and How to Fix Them for Good)

Your employee handbook is one of the most important tools your company has. It sets expectations, explains benefits, supports compliance, and helps new hires feel at home. While some organizations see it as a simple checkbox for signatures, others recognize it as a chance to genuinely connect with employees, and design plays a big part in making that happen.

After all the work you’ve put into getting the content right, it’s worth making sure people actually want to engage with it. Poor formatting, dense text, or clunky layouts can quietly get in the way of clarity, trust, and usefulness.

But when the design is thoughtful and aligned with your culture, your handbook becomes something more: a tool that unites your team, reinforces your values, and supports real understanding. That’s the thinking behind the psychology of Blissbook, where design based on the insights of behavioral economics makes handbooks more effective and human.

Design isn’t just about fonts or colors. It’s about accessibility, readability, and how well your policies connect with people. A well-designed handbook invites engagement and makes the information inside easier to absorb.

In the sections that follow, we’ll look at seven of the most common employee handbook design fails and how to fix them. Whether you’re building a handbook from scratch or refreshing your current one, these tips will help you turn a static document into a branded, engaging resource your team will actually want to use.

How to Design the Cover Page of Your Employee Handbook

Crafting the right cover page for an employee handbook isn’t just about slapping on a logo and a title and calling it a day. The first glance sets the tone for the entire document. Your cover page offers a glimpse into the company’s culture and emphasizes the importance of the content inside.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the details of designing a memorable yet professional cover. We’ll examine the essential elements every cover should have, discuss why your cover page is important, and provide real handbook cover page examples.

By the time you’re done reading, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to design a cover page that resonates, informs, and impresses. 

6 Creative Examples of Employee Handbooks

Your employee handbook can (and should) be more than a yawn-inducing document that outlines your company’s policies and procedures. What if, instead, you viewed your handbook as an opportunity to show employees you care—that they matter?

If you want to create a handbook that people actually read—and maybe even enjoy—you’re in the right place. Let’s take a look at how you can turn your company’s handbook into an engaging, informative resource.

How to Design an Effective Employee Handbook

Want to craft an employee handbook that’s more than just rules? One that really speaks to your employees and showcases your company’s spirit? We’ve got you covered.

In this article, we’ll talk about how to design an effective employee handbook, including best practices and key considerations to make it informative and engaging.