Shawnee Love   •  
September 8, 2011

If your organization is considering creating an employee handbook (and there are few organizations with more than 5 employees that couldn’t benefit from the clarity and consistency that comes from a good handbook), then you might as well make it a good one.  Good handbooks stand the test of time and are regularly referred to by employees and managers alike.  For more information on best practices relating to handbooks and the policies and procedures, check out this article.  For information on the core components of a handbook, keep reading.

Writing handbooks that fit my client’s needs and culture is something I love to do. Here is what I like to include in every one:

• An introduction letter welcoming the employee and explaining the purpose of the handbook,
• An orientation to the company including information on the history, products or services, competitors, organizational vision, mission and values, structure,  and culture,
• The legally required policies such as privacy, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment, and health & safety, etc.,
• Explanations of an employee’s rights and responsibilities and how the employees can access and accomplish each.  Included in this group includes how to get paid, take vacation, access leaves or time off, as well as expectations of conduct, attendance, etc.

While there is a lot of other content that I think is both interesting and valuable in a handbook, these four shouldn’t be missed.

I’d be interested to hear from you on what you think should be in a good employee manual.