Update Employment Policy Manuals

Employment manuals are essential for the success of any business. They need to be current and updated with the latest government regulations.  Not only are these the best insurance policy you can have in order to legally protect your organization against any non-compliance HR issues and discriminating situations–they make it easier to manage your talent.

There are three employment manuals that business owners should have available: A hiring manual, an onboarding manual, and an employee policy manual. The policy manual must be provided to new hires.  This document must be signed by all employees, signifying that they have read and understand the contents of the manual.  Following this protocol, you will be able to prove that all employees were aware of the rules if an employee later decides to challenge you in court.

The Hiring Manual

The Hiring Procedures Manual outlines the steps your company follows when hiring personnel to ensure that the most qualified individuals are found. The defined sequence allows business owners to efficiently market, recruit, interview and hire new staff. Having a process in place boosts objectivity and helps owners avoid the loss of time money, productivity and opportunity cost.

The Onboarding Manual

We develop our onboarding manuals to clarify the process of integrating new team members into the workplace culture. Through the process, individuals are equipped to become a successful, productive and contributing part of the organization. The manuals are customized to define the onboarding sequence of the specific business and the expectations of the new job.

The Employee Policy Manual–Required By Law.

Companies are required to have written policies for such important issues as workplace harassment, discrimination, hiring, terminating, and workplace safety.  Many states have laws and labor codes pertaining to companies with just one employee. This is also true of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.  In Pennsylvania, for example, employees are hired “at will.” However, if that terminology is not clearly defined in the Manual, a number of problems can arise that can take a company into an unwelcome legal field.

Why You Need to Maintain Current Employment Manuals

Employees need to know the work expectations.

A written manual provides a baseline for governing and a system to measure the quality of the employee’s work. Employees need to know what work standards the Company has, what disciplinary policies are followed, and how performance evaluations are performed.

A manual creates an equal playing field.

The manual lets you inform your employees about your workplace rules in an efficient, uniform way.  Employees want to know that they are being treated fairly, and that everyone is following the same set of rules.  Conflicts can be avoided if procedures, policies and expectations are put in writing.

Employees are more productive with clearly established goals.

Knowing of any incentive plans, benefits packages, or recognition opportunities from the beginning of the work experience allows employees to strive for success.  Employees are able to work towards clearly defined goals that do not change due to personal subjectivity.

A manual adds value to your business.

Having policies and procedures documented in writing is a way to add value to the monetary worth of your business.  Defining operational systems in a written format allows you to replicate the procedures and policies on a consistent basis. If you were to sell your business, verifying that your business is operating according to legal standards and that procedures are clearly established will make your business more attractive to the buyer.