An employee handbook serves many purposes — it’s a tour guide, a rule referee, and a cultural compass all in one. When done correctly, an employee handbook is a living, breathing document that cultivates understanding, facilitates communication, and creates a shared sense of purpose among your diverse team. 

But that’s just the beginning.

Let’s explore the benefits of employee handbooks and the ways they supercharge engagement, communicate policies and procedures, and set your organization up for success.

Employee handbooks give all employees clear guidance on your company’s policies, procedures, and expectations. Better yet, an effective employee handbook benefits people at all levels of your organization — from new hires on day one to managers celebrating ten years at the company.

In this article, we’ll explain what an employee handbook is, why it’s important to have one, and what it should include.

We’ll also discuss when to create your employee handbook and provide guidelines to help you get started.

Lastly, we’ll go over the various platforms you can use to create your employee handbook, including Microsoft Word, Google Docs, knowledge management platforms, or specialized employee handbook software like Blissbook.