Shake up the Handbook
Back in the day the Employee Handbook was printed out and it incorporated every single HR policy there was available. It was boring, it was black and white, but hey it did have all the information the employee needed….and probably a bit extra.
In this now digital world the Employee Handbook is normally online, either hosted on your company intranet or your HR system.
So if we’re going to shake up the Employee Handbook let’s take a look at it’s purpose today and why organisations should have one in place.
It provides employees with the necessary information to navigate their employment successfully.
It serves as a central source that signposts the company's policies and procedures, and expectations.
It provides employees with a clear understanding of what is expected of them in terms of behaviour, performance, and compliance with company rules.
What should the employee handbook do?
Communicate the businesses core values, the mission and what the business does
Signpost - It should direct people to policies using hyperlinks etc. There is nothing worse than hunting for ages trying to find a HR policy on the intranet that you can’t find.
It should be helpful and provide answers to the most frequently asked questions. This will save employees having to go to the policy and trawl through pages of information to find what they need
It should have a code of conduct and highlight ‘how we work’
There are some organisations out there that have gone to the extreme end and simply have a one-pager that details their 10 behaviours, or expectations as a busy. I’m in the camp that is probably midway between that approach and the document compiled of all the policies.
What should the employee handbook look like?
It should be engaging and user friendly. There should definitely be visual elements. Incorporate graphics, icons, and relevant images to break up the text and make the handbook visually appealing. This can include infographics, charts, or diagrams that summarise important information. Organise the content with clear headings and subheadings. Use bulleted lists to present information in a more digestible format. This enhances readability and makes it easier for employees to find specific information.
Simple and easy to use. Use a Clear and Conversational Tone. Written in a friendly and approachable manner, avoiding overly formal or legalistic language. Use simple and concise sentences to enhance readability.
Incorporate interactive elements. Consider adding interactive elements to the digital version of your handbook. This could include hyperlinks to additional resources, policies etc.
Incorporate multimedia. Consider incorporating multimedia elements, such as videos or audio clips, to provide additional context or explanations for certain policies or procedures
Remember, an engaging employee handbook should strike a balance between being informative and accessible. By focusing on readability, visual appeal, and interactivity, you can create a handbook that employees are more likely to engage with and understand. We really want employees to be able to ‘self serve’ and find answers to their questions themselves. The employee handbook should help them do that.
What content should you include in the employee handbook?
As I said before, I personally would want to see more than a one-pager for the employee handbook but if you think that would work for your organisation then definitely consider it.
I think a handbook should include pages on the following areas with each page including links to relevant policies and information to answer the frequently asked questions
A welcome message from the company's CEO or leadership team, An overview of the company's mission, vision, and values. A brief history of the organisation.
Code of conduct / expectations
How we work (guidelines around remote / flexible working)
Taking time off (annual leave, bereavement, jury service etc.)
Growth and Development (do you have career paths, training calendar, performance process etc.)
Benefits (you may choose not to include this if the benefits vary significantly between countries or employee groups)
Family Friendly (this normally incorporates a lot of different areas such as maternity, paternity, adoption etc.)
Wellbeing
Diversity, Equality & Inclusion
Disciplinary and Grievance (This is simply to highlight that the company has relevant policies in place)
Social Media (this is important because employees will spend a lot of time on social media and it has the potential to be good and bad)
A-Z of policies (with links to all company policies)
Creating a new employee handbook
When it comes to something like this that is going to be used by pretty much everyone across the organisation I would get a small working group together. To get input from people in different roles, to get different views, different ideas. Remember, people will want different things from the employee handbook so it’s best to have some good discussions up front! It’s also a good idea to get branding or marketing involved from the start because they will be able to help you bring it all together and keep it in line with the overall look and feel of the company brand. They normally have a lot of work lined up so best to keep them informed of progression and timelines as well.
In your first working group I would ask the questions:
What is the purpose of the employee handbook in your organisation?
What do you want it to look like? (this is the debate around the one pager, the halfway house or the full on policy ‘book’)
What content should be included (high level topics or categories)
You can then start to decide who would like to take which section to work on before coming back together.
Once it has been completed it’s a good idea to test it out and get feedback too. Make sure all the videos and links are working and the experience is seamless. A digital handbook will be easier to update annually, but either way you will need to schedule in some time to keep it refreshed!
It's important to note that an employee handbook should comply with local laws and regulations applicable to the organisation's jurisdiction. Organisations should consult with legal professionals to ensure compliance and address any industry-specific policies or requirements.
Good luck in re-shaping your employee handbook!