5 Costly Handbook Mistakes You’re Probably Making
An employee handbook is a valuable resource for employees and employers. It should introduce the employer's history, mission, vision, expectations and introduce company culture. But if the release and upkeep of your handbook are not effective, it can be counterproductive and create more problems than it solves.
In our time working with clients, we have found these 5 errors commonly. Luckily, they are very correctable.
Not tracking that your employees reviewed the handbook
Keeping track of your employees acknowledging they have received your handbook is often overlooked but very useful, especially should a future conflict arise. It'sIt's also best practice to send communication to employees whenever your manual undergoes a significant edit.
2. Making the handbook hard to find
The point of an employee handbook is to distribute company policies and cultural expectations to your team. Having one that is not easy to revisit after onboarding doesn't serve this purpose effectively. We've found it most effective to have your handbook hosted on an employee section of the website. This simple move will decrease the likelihood of losing links into a digital communication blackhole.
3. Using overly complicated language in your handbook
If the language of your handbook is challenging to understand, your handbook might end up creating more confusion. Keep your policies concise and speak in everyday language as much as possible.
4. Not keep your handbook up to date
Failure to update your handbook effectively can create bottlenecks of all kinds. At least every year, make time to ensure your policies are in line with ever-changing legalities and employment trends.
5. Not knowing about or addressing state and local laws
Any functioning business needs to familiarize and comply with the state and local laws. We'd recommend subscribing to an HR newsletter to ensure you're made aware of changes.
We highlighted these because these are easily fixable errors to improve the effectiveness of your handbook, which should decrease the burden you carry as a manager or boss. If you need help assessing your handbook's effectiveness, let us know, and we can help improve your company handbook, an easy first step to having more informed workers and more buy-in to your company culture.
