In most roles I’ve begun, an worker handbook was the primary inner doc I learn. So naturally, I’d make a number of assumptions in regards to the form of place I used to be employed at primarily based on the worker handbook.
From trip insurance policies to decorate codes to nondiscrimination insurance policies, worker handbooks have given me a transparent overview of the dos, don’ts, rules, and expectations of my new function.
They’ve additionally helped pique my pleasure, particularly when the corporate mission, values, and tradition are laid out.
Under, I’ll cowl the significance of an worker handbook, 9 important components to incorporate, an worker handbook template, and examples to assist information yours.
Desk of Contents
What’s an worker handbook?
An worker handbook is an exhaustive doc outlining a corporation’s insurance policies, procedures, and worker expectations.
It’s an important useful resource for brand spanking new hires and present workers. Staff can overview their rights and obligations as members of the corporate.
Why is having an worker handbook essential?
Worker handbooks are important for a number of causes, for each the employer and staff. Right here’s why.
1. Inform new hires.
Once I was employed at Paramount, I underwent a two-day orientation and onboarding.
Throughout this era, I acquired an worker handbook that outlined workers expectations. That doc included methods to advertise privateness, concord, security, and neighborhood.
The handbook was a useful useful resource for higher understanding Paramount’s tradition and the way I might be an upstanding member of such a big, world group.
It was additionally a aid to know this was a information I may repeatedly confer with every time questions or issues arose.
2. Doc mandated insurance policies.
Paramount requires us to finish a number of common worker trainings, together with anti-sexual harassment, anti-discrimination, enterprise conduct, and extra. These trainings coincide with federal, state, and native legal guidelines that firms should uphold.
Worker handbooks are an important place for firms to stipulate these insurance policies to make sure all workers are given the data they want and that employers adjust to legal guidelines and rules.
3. Declare firm objectives.
Most profitable firms have cohesive vision propositions, mission statements, and values that present context for the corporate’s goal. These statements additionally information staff towards a shared objective.
Trendy worker handbooks embrace this data to ensure all staff are instantly made conscious of why they have been employed and the way they will play a job within the larger imaginative and prescient.
Studying this data in my worker handbooks additionally helped me develop enthusiasm and fervour for my upcoming work.
What to Embrace in an Worker Handbook
Figuring out the place to start is troublesome when crafting an worker handbook. Take a look at the sections I’ve discovered most helpful.
1. Introduction to Firm and Values
As talked about, I’ve discovered a number of worth in higher understanding the corporate from an inner lens in an worker handbook.
Whereas Paramount has a number of externally-facing data, staff will get an inside scoop on what makes it so particular.
It is a nice option to start the worker handbook, providing new staff an elevator pitch about why the corporate issues and why they need to be excited to affix it.
2. Code of Conduct
Right here, I realized in regards to the moral requirements {and professional} habits anticipated on the firm. It’s useful to have a baseline of what the corporate expects of me ethically so I can stay an upstanding member of the neighborhood.
I’ve additionally realized a number of fundamental employee-wide pointers, reminiscent of hybrid workplace necessities and the gown code.
Total, the code of conduct shares the corporate’s values and desired habits that it needs to foster in staff of all ranges.
3. New Rent and Separation Coverage
As a brand new rent at Paramount, I had countless questions on my new employment, notably how and when to enroll for advantages. This part gives details about that, in addition to extra critical subjects reminiscent of disciplinary methods.
In tandem, it gives data in case an worker needs to depart the corporate for no matter purpose.
Staff who don’t really feel comfy asking sure questions earlier than asserting their depart can confer with the worker handbook to know when their insurance coverage protection ends and if they are going to be paid out for unused day off.
4. Efficiency and Profession Growth Insurance policies
Ahead-thinkers like me are at all times planning for what’s subsequent. Once I begin a brand new function, I need to really feel assured that I’ll be part of a group that prioritizes my studying and profession development.
This part is a superb place to put out how promotions and raises happen, and what alternatives the corporate gives for workers to broaden their data
5. Compensation and Advantages Coverage
This part has been extraordinarily very important to me as a brand new rent and long-standing worker.
It’s an important place to refer again to every time I need to remind myself about my insurance coverage protection or join a brand new program like tuition reimbursement.
It’s additionally the place I am going to know my compensation. New hires will seemingly have questions on how they’re paid (weekly or bi-weekly) and the way their payroll deductions look. It’s essential data to have available.
6. Depart Coverage
I’m grateful to work on a group and at an organization that encourages me to take day off for trip, sick time, and private days. I realized a number of this data within the worker handbook.
Since I’m not a salaried worker, the handbook defined what number of PTO and sick days I acquired per calendar 12 months, in addition to what federal holidays the corporate observes.
It’s useful to have the ability to refer again to this steerage when planning holidays and future day off.
7. Equal Employment and Nondiscrimination Coverage
As a younger girl of coloration, working at an organization that acknowledges the significance of range and inclusion is an absolute precedence.
I satisfaction myself on working for a group with every kind of people that have various views, which makes our work stronger.
I imagine all firms ought to spotlight these insurance policies of their worker handbooks so new hires know from the get-go that the corporate is critical about who it needs to contribute to the tradition.
8. Computer systems and Know-how Coverage
Many firms like mine have embraced a hybrid work setting, that means we go into the workplace a number of days per week and work remotely the opposite days.
Because of this, staff at my firm obtain company-owned gadgets, reminiscent of laptops and telephones.
This could result in many safety and privateness points, so I like to recommend together with a piece within the worker handbook that communicates rules round utilizing company-owned gadgets and applications.
9. Well being and Security Insurance policies.
My firm conducts bi-annual fireplace and security process walkthroughs with safety. Nevertheless, as a brand new rent, I used to be desirous to know these protocols from the beginning, since I had simply missed the final spherical of walkthroughs.
The worker handbook is an efficient place to element safety procedures, reminiscent of requiring badges for entry and protocols within the case of emergency occasions, reminiscent of a hearth.
This additionally helps cut back firm legal responsibility by guaranteeing this essential life-preserving data is supplied to all new hires.
10. Non-Disclosure Settlement and Confidentiality Coverage
One of many perks of being at my firm is being aware of knowledge, data, and plans that aren’t for the general public eye. However with this chance comes a giant duty to protect the confidentiality of this data.
Subsequently, it’s important to make clear within the worker handbook what is taken into account confidential data for inner operations and shoppers and easy methods to preserve privateness to make sure it’s not misused or shared externally.
11. Signature Web page
A very powerful a part of the worker handbook is when staff truly comply with all of the insurance policies, procedures, and methods laid out.
This ensures staff learn and comply with the phrases of the handbook and that the corporate is protected within the case of a wrongful termination lawsuit.
Now that I’ve conveyed the areas I’ve discovered priceless in my worker handbooks, let me share a template that dives extra deeply into what to incorporate in every part.
Worker Handbook Template
Worker Handbook for [Company Name]
Introduction to Firm and Values
- Describe the corporate’s historical past, together with when, by whom, and why it was based.
- Lay out the corporate mission assertion.
- Embrace perception into the corporate tradition and what components are prioritized within the office, reminiscent of autonomy or steady schooling.
Code of Conduct
- Provide a common overview of ethics and compliance, which permit the corporate to pretty regulate and assess a person’s habits.
- Element essential insurance policies, together with tardiness, gown code, and disciplinary actions.
- Present assets for workers to reference when encountering moral predicaments.
New Rent and Separation Coverage
- Let new staff know whether or not they should wait to obtain their advantages (and the way lengthy) and what steps to take if an worker needs to give up.
- Define the progressive self-discipline coverage, which is a structured strategy to addressing worker misconduct or efficiency points utilizing more and more strict steps that enable staff to right errors.
- Summarize what advantages staff are entitled to and for the way lengthy, if terminated.
Efficiency and Profession Growth Insurance policies
- Lay out the worker analysis course of and at what cadence these critiques ought to be arrange with managers.
- Clarify when and the way promotions occur, in addition to coaching and studying alternatives.
Compensation and Advantages Coverage
- Element crucial advantages relating to well being care, dental, imaginative and prescient, life insurance coverage, and shares.
- Share details about different worker advantages, reminiscent of tuition reimbursement, commuter advantages, parking, worker referral bonuses, and 401(okay) plans.
- Present steerage relating to compensation, reminiscent of complete wage, payroll deductions, and compensation will increase for particular job descriptions.
- Doc the fee schedule for every worker (weekly or bi-weekly).
Depart Coverage
- Share how a lot paid and unpaid trip time staff obtain.
- Make clear insurance policies round sick time, medical depart, and paid household depart and guarantee these adjust to U.S. Department of Labor laws, if relevant.
- Checklist firm holidays.
Equal Employment and Nondiscrimination Coverage
- Embrace an employment and nondiscrimination coverage, per The U.S. Division of Labor Equal Employment Opportunity legislation.
- Reiterate to staff that discrimination or harassment will not be tolerated within the office.
Computer systems and Know-how Coverage
- Relay what staff can and might’t do with their supplied know-how.
- Inform whether or not the corporate has the best to view emails despatched on firm computer systems, if social media ought to be averted on these gadgets, and the way a lot privateness they need to count on whereas utilizing firm property.
- Share if any actions carried out on firm know-how are fireable offenses.
Well being and Security Insurance policies
- Define office security pointers, reminiscent of badge utilization, visitor insurance policies, and prohibited objects.
- Relay very important emergency procedures within the occasion of a fireplace or safety lockdown.
- Let staff know their rights as administered by The Occupational Security and Well being Administration (OSHA).
Non-Disclosure Settlement and Confidentiality Coverage
- Checklist what data staff should preserve personal, reminiscent of the corporate‘s inner marketing strategy, consumer data, and staff’ monetary account data.
- Share methods staff can guarantee privateness and confidentiality, reminiscent of avoiding public wifi, by no means leaving firm gadgets unattended, and requesting NDAs from companions earlier than sharing paperwork.
Signature Web page
- Embrace a signature web page on the finish of the worker handbook that states the worker has learn and agreed to the data detailed within the worker handbook.
For those who’d like an much more seamless, plug-and-play template, try HubSpot’s free employee handbook template that gives a basis to combine your model’s personalised messaging and knowledge.
Pattern Worker Handbook
I like to recommend you create an worker handbook that’s distinctive and explicit to your tradition and firm values.
Nevertheless, I’ve developed a pattern worker handbook to assist get you began. I open with an organization overview and details about the enterprise’ values.
Many sections are too private and legally delicate to incorporate in a pattern.
For example, evaluate state and federal legal guidelines and get in touch with a lawyer when writing a non-disclosure settlement. After the intro, I like to recommend including details about your tradition code. Then, you’ll be able to discuss particular insurance policies.
After this part, I like to recommend itemizing out any related worker advantages. That features their compensation, advantages, and paid day off.
The final portion of my pattern handbook options bracketed sections that relate to authorities rules. If this have been my enterprise, I would come with that data then ask for an worker signature.
Worker Handbook Examples
I’ve established that a number of sections in an worker handbook are pretty customary — to not point out legally required. Moreover, many insurance policies are for inner eyes solely, making them inaccessible to curious weblog writers.
Subsequently, I’ve gathered a listing of inventive, distinctive tradition pages, books, and codes.
These are terrific methods to start an worker handbook. They transcend a conventional firm historical past and overview to embrace daring design, humor, and imaginative language and precisely painting the corporate’s tradition to new hires.
After all, these examples aren’t standalone worker handbooks, however take a web page out of those manufacturers’ books to jazz up an in any other case mundane, standardized doc.
1. Warby Parker
Warby Parker is a modern, reasonably priced eyewear model from whom I’ve bought one too many pairs of eyeglasses. Its tradition guide is designed as a digital information, representing its trendy, modern model qualities properly.
I particularly love the aesthetically pleasing coloration scheme, mushy fonts, imagery, and humorousness.
Whereas I’m considering an organization’s origin, I don’t essentially need to learn a prolonged historical past guide about it.
Warby Parker does an outstanding job of protecting its historical past brief and simply digestible by designing the origin story as a textual content dialog and the historical past as a visible timeline.
Lastly, I really like the emphasis on the corporate values, framed as “Our Promise.” This exhibits that these statements aren’t simply issues the model values and hopes to perform however vows to.
If I have been an worker at this firm, I’d really feel assured that this can be a place that encourages creativity, doesn’t take itself too significantly, and prioritizes the well-being of its workforce.
2. Netflix
Netflix’s tradition web page is a superb instance of how a model can personalize its worker handbook for potential, new, and long-time hires.
Whereas an worker handbook has a number of essential, necessary data, it may additionally excite staff.
Not like Warby Parker, this web page has a crisp and clear black-and-white design. Nevertheless, I believe this works properly with the language used. It’s a honest and sincere ode to the tradition they’ve and aspire to have.
I really like the above introduction, because it authentically reveals what Netflix prioritizes in its workforce whereas admitting that it generally falls in need of these objectives and is a piece in progress.
As a brand new rent, becoming a member of an organization that prides itself on perfection is intimidating, so it’s a aid to know you could be part of the continual development.
Under is a snapshot of how Netflix outlines its guidelines, with out getting too into the weeds (that’s for inner, employed staff).
I respect this part as a result of it calls out that there are strict guidelines for important insurance policies, reminiscent of harassment and privateness.
However then, the model personalizes by stating a few of their much less critical insurance policies, reminiscent of “Take trip” being their trip coverage, and “Act in Netflix’s finest pursuits” being the bills coverage.
Language like this provides essential data whereas providing context in regards to the firm tradition. There’s a option to be critical about critical issues and playful in regards to the enjoyable components of an worker handbook.
3. HubSpot
To not toot our personal horn, however the HubSpot Culture Code is fairly nice.
One in all my many favourite components is that it’s in a slide presentation format. This makes it really feel much less daunting and extra accessible to flip by now and again, fairly than digging by a prolonged doc.
I respect that HubSpot acknowledges the Tradition Code as extra than simply an worker handbook — it’s a lifestyle. It goes past the required by explaining the hows and whys new hires care about.
In any case, job descriptions describe quite a bit a couple of function however much less about the way it feels to be part of the neighborhood.
For the reason that Tradition Code is 128 slides, there’s a fast abstract of the tenets on slide 17. Not solely does this perform as a type of desk of contents, however it additionally works as a set of firm values that can be influential.
The HubSpot Tradition Code seamlessly combines essential insurance policies and knowledge for brand spanking new hires with motivational, modern messages. It conveys key authorized and cultural factors in the identical presentation.
For example, within the slide proven above, new hires obtain specific details about profession growth alternatives out there on the firm.
This aligns with the Efficiency and profession growth insurance policies mentioned above whereas being reassured that HubSpot prioritizes profession development simply as a lot as its merchandise.
I’m additionally a giant fan of brief, clear mottos which might be straightforward to recall and apply to a number of difficult conditions. Issues can get complicated in a brand new job, so connecting an issue to the fundamentals can assist new hires put their work into perspective.
You may see this idea exemplified within the following slide.
Now that I’ve walked by some highly effective worker handbook samples, learn on for code of conduct samples.
Code of Conduct Samples
The code of conduct, which follows the corporate overview part of an worker handbook, is essentially essential and equally as troublesome to craft from scratch.
That’s why I’ve included some actual examples of profitable and galvanizing codes of conduct:
Extra Than a Handbook
I’ve by no means thought-about how important an worker handbook could be. I’ve referred to a lot of mine earlier than for understanding my rights and obligations.
Nevertheless, engaged on this submit taught me that an worker handbook additionally provides the chance to model one of many first paperwork new hires contact.
It’s a possibility to share an organization’s character and what makes it an incredible place to work. Your new rent had the possibility to impress you — now it’s your alternative to impress them.
Editor’s word: This submit was initially printed in December 2018 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
