Handbook, What Handbook?

In all of the excitement of starting a new job; the new faces and names to commit to memory, the new procedures and software to master, and all the forms to be filled out; one of the most helpful tools to getting off to a good start with a new company is often overlooked. A well-written and up-to-date Employee Handbook provides a new employee with a solid reference to help them navigate the many unknowns in a new job.

The Employee Handbook is a vital resource for all employees, not just new arrivals. Employees facing an unplanned leave of absence need to be aware of their company policy on unpaid personal leave and the federal and state guidelines for family and medical leaves of absence. Without careful review, employees may be unaware of valuable benefits already available to them or may overlook an important policy on personal cell phone or computer use that impacts their daily activities.

Managers and supervisors look to their company's Employee Handbook for guidelines on employee and management behavior. Clearly written policies and performance guidelines make the jobs of supervisors and managers a little easier by articulating appropriate and inappropriate behavior.

The progressive discipline process should be clearly outlined in the Employee Handbook, enabling both managers and employees to understand the stages of discipline. A well-defined discipline policy removes the gray areas for both employees and managers and ensures consistency and equity for both parties.

A well thought out Employee Handbook also serves as a source of history and conveys the company's mission statement, values and culture. Many companies use their Handbook to communicate not just the expectations they have of their employees, but also what their employees can expect of them – namely ethical business practices with fair treatment for employees.

The constantly shifting laws governing employment, compensation and leaves (both state and federal) create a need for annual Handbook updates. The struggle to ensure employees have the current version of the Handbook can be mitigated by posting the most recent version of the Handbook on the company's Intranet or web site. When a major policy changes, Handbook addendums should be distributed and signed off on by all current employees, ensuring everyone is aware of the changes.

A good Employee Handbook follows the life of the employee from new hire to retiree and should be used as a point of reference for both employees and management.