HUMAN RESOURCES: By the Book, Chapter 2

EDITOR’S NOTE: In last month’s column, Jean Seawright outlined the importance of having a clear, current and compliant employee manual, as well as three sections all manuals should include. Here are four additional items Jean says no employee manual should be without.

7 ITEMS TO INCLUDE – CONTINUED. Beyond the introduction, employee development and benefits sections, all employee manuals should include:

4. Payroll Policies. Your handbook should include a section that addresses issues related to pay, such as hours of work, position classifications (full-time, part-time, temporary, and/or seasonal definitions), pay classifications (salaried, hourly, commissioned, variable workweek, or piece rate and whether each is exempt or nonexempt from overtime) lunch and meal breaks, deductions, expenses, overtime, pay periods and pay days,  advances or loans, and how final pay is handled.

5. Employment Policies & Procedures. This section of your manual should include all of the important policies related to your business philosophy and applicable state or federal employment regulations. Some items to include in this section are: Equal employment opportunity, policy against harassment, alcohol and drug abuse, confidential information, outside work, conflicts of interest, code of conduct, employment of relatives or significant others, references, violence, open door policy, 90-day introductory period and grievance procedure.

6. Employee Responsibilities. This section should include all the policies related to general employee conduct. For example, you’ll likely want to include dress standards, customer relations, smoking in the workplace (and in company vehicles), tardiness and absenteeism, company property, safety rules, solicitation, company vehicles, employee search policy, telephone use, computer use, ethical business behavior, corrective measures, inappropriate conduct, separation of employment, personnel records/privacy and more.

7. Closing Words. In this final section, to bring the handbook to a close, you’ll want to share some final thoughts about the purpose and use of the manual. You should include an acknowledgment receipt that the employee can sign and date to acknowledge that he or she received the handbook, read it, had a chance to obtain answers to any questions and agrees to abide by all of the policies contained within.

HAVE HANDBOOK, WILL READ. Last, but not least, please – for the sake of employees everywhere – don’t implement a handbook that nobody wants to read. Unless your business is named “Internal Revenue Service,” don’t settle for a handbook that reads like the IRS code – confusing jargon that’s poorly worded, threatening or punitive, and completely lacking in any character whatsoever. It’s no wonder employees don’t want to read them and managers don’t want to use them. When it comes time to writing or revising your employee handbook, utilize the expertise of someone who can design a manual that is creative, interesting, fun-to-read, compliant and suitable for your culture. Make certain your policies are written in plain English and (where appropriate) lighten it up and use a little humor and references to your industry.

I assure you, if you implement a well-written, comprehensive handbook, it will save you time, help solve your employee problems, promote understanding among your workers, build morale, enhance compliance, improve the image of your organization, and, of course, help you meet the burden of proof. Not bad for a few pieces of paper…