Employee Handbook Time?

When do I need an Employee Handbook?

“We’ve been in business for 7 years and have 8 employees right now. Overall, we haven’t had tons of employee problems but have had more issues in the past year. We’ve been creating policies as the need arises but I think it’s time to look at formalizing them. Is it time for an Employee Handbook?”

HR Survival Tip

As much as California loves to create employment laws, neither California nor the federal government has yet made it a requirement for companies to have an Employee Handbook. However, once you reach 5 employees, you need to seriously consider having an Employee Handbook because you are now subject to quite a few laws and you need to decide how you plan to comply with those laws.

Another good reason for an Employee Handbook at your size is to ensure each employee  is being told the same thing about a policy or practice to eliminate confusion and miscommunication. What is included in a well-written handbook can protect you against claims and lawsuits. It also helps you enforce your policies, when needed. A good handbook will let your employees know what you expect from them and what they can expect from you.

The worst thing you can do is to “borrow” an Employee Handbook from another company or create your own from a software program. Having no handbook is often better than a poorly written or badly constructed one. What you don’t put in your handbook is equally as important as what you do… and only a customized Employee Handbook by a qualified HR person will give you the result (and protection) you really want. Call or email me to start a discussion about what your company needs!