{"id":3058,"date":"2023-09-08T08:42:41","date_gmt":"2023-09-08T12:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blissbook.com\/blog\/?p=3058"},"modified":"2023-09-08T08:42:41","modified_gmt":"2023-09-08T12:42:41","slug":"how-to-create-a-table-of-contents-for-an-employee-handbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blissbook.com\/blog\/how-to-create-a-table-of-contents-for-an-employee-handbook\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a Table of Contents for an Employee Handbook"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An employee handbook<\/a> covers everything from your company culture to day-to-day policies and information related to legal compliance. A good employee handbook reduces uncertainty, maintains consistency, and helps resolve conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A table of contents makes your employee handbook easy to navigate. Even better, an electronic or digital employee handbook can include a table of contents with clickable links, making it even easier for employees to navigate to the specific information they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the end of this article, you should know why you need a table of contents and how to create one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Why Your Employee Handbook Needs a Table of Contents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we talk about what you need to put in your table of contents, let\u2019s understand why a table of contents is so important. An effective table of contents transforms your handbook from an overwhelming policy document into a helpful resource that\u2019s easy to navigate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When developing your employee handbook, it\u2019s important to research the topics you need to cover<\/a>. Once you\u2019ve got a good idea of the content you\u2019ll include, you should organize it in a logical way to ensure similar topics are grouped together. As you do this, you\u2019re not only determining what content you need \u2014 you\u2019re creating your table of contents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employee handbooks vary in size depending on the organization\u2019s size, growth stage, and office locations. No matter the length of your handbook, an employee should be able to quickly locate what they\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A clunky, physical handbook isn\u2019t just difficult to use \u2014 it can also undermine sustainability efforts if new copies need to be printed every time updates are made. An electronic or digital employee handbook makes your table of contents more helpful, allowing easy navigation with a single click.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for Creating an Organized Employee Handbook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Organizing your employee handbook<\/a> helps make a wealth of information easier to understand. The table of contents, the first piece of this structure, guides how an employee approaches the handbook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some additional tips and tricks for bringing out the best in your handbook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use Topics and Subtopics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Using topics and subtopics in your table of contents makes it easier for employees to cut through the noise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, you should use consistent headings and subheadings within the content for a more reader-friendly handbook. For maximum effectiveness, keep the language simple and concise. Think from the perspective of an employee facing an issue and what they might be looking for when scrolling through the handbook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Follow a Logical Order<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your handbook and its table of contents should be in a logical and sequential order. For example, your company\u2019s  mission and vision<\/strong><\/a>, values<\/strong><\/a>, and other cultural content<\/a>, should be in the beginning. Not only does it help you start with \u201cwhy \u2014 it serves as a hook to grab reader attention. Your cultural content lends itself better to design elements that can provide a wow factor, and it\u2019s content that everyone in your company is interested in reading. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After this, topics should naturally flow from one to the next. It\u2019s not intuitive to have information about paid time off (PTO)<\/a> in the first section, then details about company holidays at the end. Related information should be grouped together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you get to your policies \u2014 your whats \u2014 you should again start with a hook. Try to ward off an employee thinking, \u201cOh, here comes the boring part,\u201d by starting with policies that are the most interesting to your employees. That could be your time off policies, other company benefits, tuition reimbursement, or something else entirely. You know your company best!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make it Visually Appealing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Use consistent styles, fonts, and indentation. The HR team can take a step back while the marketing or communications team works their magic to make the handbook as attractive as possible. You want your handbook to be visually appealing and easy to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bullet points help to organize and synthesize information into easy-to-digest chunks. You can also use graphics, highlighting, and summaries to keep the body of text engaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Use Hyperlinks and Search Capabilities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your handbook is digital, include hyperlinks that make it easy and intuitive to jump around to different sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll also want to include a keyword search feature to help employees quickly find specific information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Looking for a shortcut? <\/strong>When you build a handbook using <\/strong>Blissbook, the program automatically creates a customizable table of contents<\/a>. This means you don\u2019t need to worry about verifying page numbers and assuring everything is listed in the table of contents.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Key Elements of an Employee Handbook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An employee handbook has a lot of ground to cover, and it\u2019s vital to make sure you haven\u2019t overlooked anything. Here are some sections you should include in your handbook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Company Culture, Values & Mission<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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You want to make your handbook useful for new and current employees. This includes making sure everyone understands your culture, values, and mission<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may even consider including additional background information, like leader profiles, a company timeline, and a welcome statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Company Policies & Procedures <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The bulk of the employee handbook should consist of information to guide the day-to-day and long-term behavior of your employees. These employee handbook policies<\/a> may include:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n