Question: 5 (Unexpected) Things You Need To Include In Your Employee Handbook

When it comes to the onboarding process, whatever you can do to streamline it, the easier the adjustment period will be for your new hire. And while you might be tempted to skip creating an employee handbook (too much work!), having one could help you reduce turnover and make happier employees.

BUT FIRST: WHY AN EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK IS SO IMPORTANT

Nobody reads them anyway, you groan, so why bother creating one?

Your handbook sets the tone for what a new employee expects from your company. It can give her a sense of corporate culture, clearly outline rules (such as those related to sexual harassment), and tell her where to turn if she has an issue or complaint. It can also, if written from a creative standpoint, get her excited to work for your brand.

Also read: This is How to Create an Effective Employee Handbook

Certainly, creating a 2,000-page document may be less effective than a short, to-the-point document that addresses key issues. Focus on the topics that are most relevant to a new hire without overwhelming her with unnecessary data.

WHAT TO INCLUDE

Certainly, you’ll want to include the basics that an employee needs to know about your company in the book:

  • Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) & Conflict of Interest Statements

  • Anti-Discrimination & Sexual Harassment Policies

  • Compensation

  • Work Schedules

  • Standards of Conduct

  • General Employment Information

  • Safety & Security

  • Computers & Technology

  • Company Mission Statement

  • Media Relations

  • Employee Benefits

  • Leave Policies

But there are a few things that most companies forget to incorporate when drafting their employee handbooks.

1. FUN

Reading an employee handbook can feel like work, so make it less so by injecting a little fun and engagement in it. You can incorporate short quizzes at the end of each section to test the new hire’s knowledge of what she read, or even rename it something a bit more exciting than “employee handbook.”

Wouldn’t it be more fun to give a new hire the “Little Book of Everything You Need to Know About Your New Work Home?”

2. IMAGES

People who consume information paired with an image will remember 65% of it three days later. Images can break up monotonous text and give the reader something to savor.

Use stock images (photos and graphics) to illustrate points in humorous ways throughout your handbook. You can also use photos of actual employees to humanize your brand and let a new hire connect faces with names...

Source: Blog – Hppy