Employee Handbooks

What Should They Contain There are many aspects of the employment relationship where the employee does not need to be provided with written material, or an 'employee contract'. Such aspects merely need to be "reasonably accessible". An employee handbook is a practical way of providing such information. Employee handbooks could be a single document held in some place accessible to the employee, such as the personnel office. That at least ensures there is only one up-to-date copy. At the extreme this may not be adequate (the employee might argue they were intimidated by going into an office) so it is better practice to provide every employee with a copy or to make it accessible on an intranet or via the internet. Contents An employee-friendly welcome and perhaps a mission statement will encourage the employee to browse the handbook which is, after all, what you want them to do.

Employee Handbooks expert: Malcolm Martin Malcolm Martin is the Managing Director of Employee Solutions Ltd, co-author of the best seller Personnel Practice, and the Employment Law Pocketbook and his company is supported by links with Lancaster University. Contact Malcolm Martin.

• Aspects of the written particulars that apply to all groups can valuably be repeated in the opening sections of the handbook.
  
  
• Consider particular aspects of the employment relationship that you want to document. This will depend on your business. A dress code would be wise where public image is important. A confidentiality policy should exist in a care environment where personal details about individuals could come to the attention of employees. A redundancy policy is useful in almost any organisation and is best developed before there is even a hint that it may be needed.
  
  
• You may be wise to start with a few policies and expand gradually. If you include any policy then you must follow it. An equal opportunities policy can be important for securing business in certain circumstances. May sure that what you adopt is both adequate and that you are capable of following it.
  
  
• You may want to consider more sophisticated policies such as bullying and harassment or "whistle-blowing". These may need customising. What might be a suitable whistle-blowing policy for a manufacturing company (where the environment could be damaged) may not suit a care home (where residents could be abused).
  
  
• Statutory rights, such a maternity rights, do not need inclusion (since employees have these rights whether they are documented or not) but they are relatively simple to include and are helpful for employees.
  
  
• Discipline and grievance procedures do have to be provided and these must follow at least the statutory minimum procedures. Model procedures are relatively easy to find, just make sure that they fit your business.
  
  
• Disciplinary rules need attention. Again make sure they fit your business. There are two types, one where you would warn the employee of the need to improve and the other where you would dismiss the employee on the first breach (Gross Misconduct). The latter applies where the employee has breached the contract so seriously that you could no longer trust him. Make sure you distinguish the two. Smoking in the office is not too serious and merits correction. Smoking near volumes of highly flammable goods should be "gross misconduct" and merit dismissal.

Finally, as with written particulars (ie: contract of employment), take the handbooks out and distribute them personally, which may mean cascading them down through a management structure.

Return to main Employee Handbooks article.

(c) 2006 Malcolm Martin

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