Regardless of the size of your company, establishing clear policies and expectations is a wise investment of your time and effort. While an employee handbook is valuable for your employees, it offers your business protection as well. Your employees can learn about their rights and benefits, and employers can set out important workplace policies and practices.
A Level of Protection
Reading the employee handbook may be part of your onboarding process. If you expect them to read it, give them the time to do so. When they have completed it, provide an acknowledgment form for them to sign stating that they have read it and understood it. If you have a number of Spanish-speaking employees, it is a good idea to provide them with a Spanish-language version of the handbook.
Within the handbook, state that the company does not tolerate or permit unlawful harassment, discrimination, retaliation—or any potential source of litigation. There is also room for it to outline how your company adheres to state and federal laws. This could include wage laws, FMLA, jury duty, and military leave.
Culture Is Strategy
The importance of culture cannot be overstated. As an employer, your behavior and actions set the tone. Many people live by a set of values that enable them to make decisions per their principles and beliefs. Your company can mirror this. What are your company’s values? In the absence of direct interaction, your employees can make real-time decisions that reflect them. Putting them in your handbook is a means of communicating the company’s values.
Standard Questions/Quick Solutions
Employers should be proud of the benefits they offer to their employees. They help retain talented individuals and also play a significant role in employees’ lives. When you first offered benefits, you thought through how your company handled sick leave, retirement packages, vacations, paid time off, and health insurance.
These packages are robust. If an employee needs to know if their health insurance covers vision, the employee handbook becomes an easy reference point. It allows them to get the information they need without having to consult their boss or HR every time they have a question.
Employers Should Follow the Handbook, Too!
Just as you expect your employees to follow company policies set out in the handbook, you as the employer must be sure to follow the policies as well. If you apply a policy differently to two employees in the same circumstances, you could open the company up to a claim of discrimination or unfair treatment. Make sure that all managers and supervisors receive regular training in company policies, not just when they join the company. In other words, “say what you do and do what you say.”
Spitz Legal Counsel LLC
Attorney Mark Spitz served as in-house counsel for more than 15 years before beginning his own practice. His background gave him a firsthand understanding of the needs and challenges that a business faces. For further assistance with matters on business or employment law, call Spitz Legal Counsel LLC at (720) 575-0040 to schedule your free consultation.