11 Important Elements to Include in Your Employee Handbook

In astir roles I’ve begun, an worker handbook was nan first soul archive I read. So naturally, I’d make a batch of assumptions astir nan benignant of spot I was hired astatine based connected nan worker handbook.

From picnic policies to dress codes to nondiscrimination policies, worker handbooks person fixed maine a clear overview of nan dos, don’ts, regulations, and expectations of my caller role.

They’ve besides helped pique my excitement, particularly erstwhile nan institution mission, values, and civilization are laid out.

Below, I’ll screen nan value of an worker handbook, 9 basal elements to include, an worker handbook template, and examples to thief guideline yours.

Table of Contents

• What is an worker handbook?
• Why is having an worker handbook important?
• What to Include successful an Employee Handbook
• Employee Handbook Template
• Sample Employee Handbook
• Employee Handbook Examples
• Code of Conduct Samples

What is an worker handbook?

An worker handbook is an exhaustive archive outlining an organization's policies, procedures, and worker expectations.

It’s a important assets for caller hires and existing staff. Employees tin overview their authorities and responsibilities arsenic members of nan company.

Why is having an worker handbook important?

Employee handbooks are basal for respective reasons, for some nan employer and employees. Here’s why.

1. Inform caller hires.

When I was hired astatine Paramount, I underwent a two-day predisposition and onboarding.

During this period, I received an worker handbook that outlined unit expectations. That archive included ways to beforehand privacy, harmony, safety, and community.

The handbook was a adjuvant assets for amended knowing Paramount’s civilization and really I could beryllium an upstanding personnel of specified a large, world organization.

It was besides a alleviation to cognize this was a guideline I could continuously mention to whenever questions aliases concerns arose.

2. Document mandated policies.

Paramount requires america to complete respective regular worker trainings, including anti-sexual harassment, anti-discrimination, business conduct, and more. These trainings coincide pinch federal, state, and section laws that companies must uphold.

Employee handbooks are a awesome spot for companies to outline these policies to guarantee each unit are fixed nan accusation they request and that employers comply pinch laws and regulations.

3. Declare institution goals.

Most successful companies person cohesive vision propositions, mission statements, and values that supply discourse for nan company’s purpose. These statements besides guideline labor toward a shared goal.

Modern worker handbooks see this accusation to guarantee each workers are instantly made alert of why they were hired and really they tin play a domiciled successful nan greater vision.

Reading this accusation successful my worker handbooks besides helped maine turn enthusiasm and passion for my upcoming work.

What to Include successful an Employee Handbook

Knowing wherever to statesman is difficult erstwhile crafting an worker handbook. Check retired nan sections I person recovered astir useful.

1. Introduction to Company and Values

As mentioned, I’ve recovered a batch of worth successful amended knowing nan institution from an soul lens successful an worker handbook.

While Paramount has a batch of externally-facing information, labor will get an wrong scoop connected what makes it truthful special.

This is simply a awesome measurement to statesman nan worker handbook, offering caller labor an elevator transportation astir why nan institution matters and why they should beryllium excited to subordinate it.

2. Code of Conduct

Here, I learned astir nan ethical standards and master behaviour expected astatine nan company. It’s adjuvant to person a baseline of what nan institution expects of maine ethically truthful I tin stay an upstanding personnel of nan community.

I’ve besides learned a batch of basal employee-wide guidelines, specified arsenic hybrid agency requirements and nan dress code.

Overall, nan codification of behaviour shares nan company’s values and desired behaviour that it wishes to foster successful labor of each levels.

3. New Hire and Separation Policy

As a caller prosecute astatine Paramount, I had endless questions astir my caller employment, peculiarly really and erstwhile to enroll for benefits. This conception provides accusation astir that, arsenic good arsenic much superior topics specified arsenic disciplinary systems.

In tandem, it provides accusation successful lawsuit an worker wishes to depart nan institution for immoderate reason.

Workers who don’t consciousness comfortable asking definite questions earlier announcing their time off tin mention to nan worker handbook to understand erstwhile their security sum ends and if they will beryllium paid retired for unused clip off.

4. Performance and Career Development Policies

Forward-thinkers for illustration maine are ever readying for what's next. When I commencement a caller role, I want to consciousness assured that I’ll subordinate a squad that prioritizes my learning and profession growth.

This conception is simply a awesome spot to laic retired really promotions and raises occur, and what opportunities nan institution provides for labor to broaden their knowledge

5. Compensation and Benefits Policy

This conception has been highly captious to maine arsenic a caller prosecute and long-standing employee.

It’s a awesome spot to mention backmost to whenever I want to punctual myself astir my security sum aliases motion up for a caller programme for illustration tuition reimbursement.

It’s besides wherever I spell to understand my compensation. New hires will apt person questions astir really they’re paid (weekly aliases bi-weekly) and really their payroll deductions look. It’s important accusation to person readily available.

6. Leave Policy

I’m grateful to activity connected a squad and astatine a institution that encourages maine to return clip disconnected for vacation, sick time, and individual days. I learned a batch of this accusation successful nan worker handbook.

Since I’m not a salaried employee, nan handbook explained really galore PTO and sick days I received per almanac year, arsenic good arsenic what national holidays nan institution observes.

It’s adjuvant to beryllium capable to mention backmost to this guidance erstwhile readying vacations and early clip off.

7. Equal Employment and Nondiscrimination Policy

As a young female of color, moving astatine a institution that recognizes nan value of diverseness and inclusion is an absolute priority.

I pridefulness myself connected moving for a squad pinch each kinds of group who person divers perspectives, which makes our activity stronger.

I judge each companies should item these policies successful their worker handbooks truthful caller hires cognize from nan get-go that nan institution is superior astir who it wants to lend to nan culture.

8. Computers and Technology Policy

Many companies for illustration excavation person embraced a hybrid activity environment, meaning we spell into nan agency a fewer days a week and activity remotely nan different days.

For this reason, labor astatine my institution person company-owned devices, specified arsenic laptops and phones.

This tin lead to galore information and privateness issues, truthful I urge including a conception successful nan worker handbook that communicates regulations astir utilizing company-owned devices and programs.

9. Health and Safety Policies.

My institution conducts bi-annual occurrence and information process walkthroughs pinch security. However, arsenic a caller hire, I was eager to cognize these protocols from nan start, since I had conscionable missed nan past information of walkthroughs.

The worker handbook is simply a bully spot to item information procedures, specified arsenic requiring badges for introduction and protocols successful nan lawsuit of emergency events, specified arsenic a fire.

This besides helps trim institution liability by ensuring this important life-preserving accusation is provided to each caller hires.

10. Non-Disclosure Agreement and Confidentiality Policy

One of nan perks of being astatine my institution is being privy to data, information, and plans that are not for nan nationalist eye. But pinch this opportunity comes a large work to sphere nan confidentiality of this knowledge.

Therefore, it’s basal to explain successful nan worker handbook what is considered confidential accusation for soul operations and clients and really to support privateness to guarantee it’s not misused aliases shared externally.

11. Signature Page

The astir important portion of nan worker handbook is erstwhile labor really work together to each nan policies, procedures, and systems laid out.

This ensures labor publication and work together to nan position of nan handbook and that nan institution is protected successful nan lawsuit of a wrongful termination lawsuit.

Now that I’ve conveyed nan areas I’ve recovered valuable successful my worker handbooks, fto maine stock a template that dives much profoundly into what to see successful each section.

Employee Handbook Template

Employee Handbook for [Company Name]

Introduction to Company and Values

• Describe nan company's history, including when, by whom, and why it was founded.
• Lay retired nan institution ngo statement.
• Include penetration into nan institution civilization and what elements are prioritized successful nan workplace, specified arsenic autonomy aliases continuous education.

Code of Conduct

• Offer a wide overview of morals and compliance, which let nan institution to reasonably modulate and measure an individual's behavior.
• Detail important policies, including tardiness, dress code, and disciplinary actions.
• Provide resources for labor to reference erstwhile encountering ethical predicaments.

New Hire and Separation Policy

• Let caller labor cognize whether they request to hold to person their benefits (and really long) and what steps to return if an worker wants to quit.
• Outline nan progressive subject policy, which is simply a system attack to addressing worker misconduct aliases capacity issues utilizing progressively strict steps that let labor to correct errors.
• Summarize what benefits labor are entitled to and for really long, if terminated.

Performance and Career Development Policies

• Lay retired nan worker information process and astatine what cadence these reviews should beryllium group up pinch managers.
• Explain erstwhile and really promotions happen, arsenic good arsenic training and learning opportunities.

Compensation and Benefits Policy

• Detail captious benefits regarding wellness care, dental, vision, life insurance, and stocks.
• Share accusation astir different worker benefits, specified arsenic tuition reimbursement, commuter benefits, parking, worker referral bonuses, and 401(k) plans.
• Provide guidance regarding compensation, specified arsenic full salary, payroll deductions, and compensation increases for circumstantial occupation descriptions.
• Document nan costs schedule for each worker (weekly aliases bi-weekly).

Leave Policy

• Share really overmuch paid and unpaid picnic clip labor receive.
• Clarify policies astir sick time, aesculapian leave, and paid family time off and guarantee these comply pinch U.S. Department of Labor laws, if applicable.
• List institution holidays.

Equal Employment and Nondiscrimination Policy

• Include an employment and nondiscrimination policy, per The U.S. Department of Labor Equal Employment Opportunity law.
• Reiterate to labor that favoritism aliases harassment won't beryllium tolerated successful nan workplace.

Computers and Technology Policy

• Relay what labor tin and can't do pinch their provided technology.
• Inform whether nan institution has nan correct to position emails sent connected institution computers, if societal media should beryllium avoided connected these devices, and really overmuch privateness they should expect while utilizing institution property.
• Share if immoderate actions performed connected institution exertion are fireable offenses.

Health and Safety Policies

• Outline workplace information guidelines, specified arsenic badge usage, impermanent policies, and prohibited items.
• Relay captious emergency procedures successful nan arena of a occurrence aliases information lockdown.
• Let labor cognize their authorities arsenic administered by The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Non-Disclosure Agreement and Confidentiality Policy

• List what accusation labor must support private, specified arsenic nan company‘s soul business plan, customer information, and employees’ financial relationship information.
• Share ways labor tin guarantee privateness and confidentiality, specified arsenic avoiding nationalist wifi, ne'er leaving institution devices unattended, and requesting NDAs from partners earlier sharing documents.

Signature Page

• Include a signature page astatine nan extremity of nan worker handbook that states nan worker has publication and agreed to nan accusation elaborate successful nan worker handbook.

If you’d for illustration an moreover much seamless, plug-and-play template, cheque retired HubSpot’s free employee handbook template that offers a instauration to merge your brand’s personalized messaging and information.

Sample Employee Handbook

I urge you create an worker handbook that’s unsocial and peculiar to your civilization and institution values.

However, I’ve developed a sample worker handbook to thief get you started. I unfastened pinch a institution overview and accusation astir nan business’ values.

Many sections are excessively individual and legally delicate to see successful a sample.

For instance, reappraisal authorities and national laws and interaction a lawyer erstwhile penning a non-disclosure agreement. After nan intro, I urge adding accusation astir your civilization code. Then, you tin talk astir circumstantial policies.

After this section, I urge listing retired immoderate applicable worker benefits. That includes their compensation, benefits, and paid clip off.

The past information of my sample handbook features bracketed sections that subordinate to authorities regulations. If this were my business, I would see that accusation past inquire for an worker signature.

Employee Handbook Examples

I’ve established that respective sections successful an worker handbook are reasonably modular — not to mention legally required. Additionally, galore policies are for soul eyes only, making them inaccessible to funny blog writers.

Therefore, I’ve gathered a database of creative, unsocial civilization pages, books, and codes.

These are terrific ways to statesman an worker handbook. They spell beyond a accepted institution history and overview to clasp bold design, humor, and imaginative connection and accurately represent nan company’s civilization to caller hires.

Of course, these examples are not standalone worker handbooks, but return a page retired of these brands’ books to jazz up an different mundane, standardized document.

1. Warby Parker

Warby Parker is simply a fashionable, affordable eyewear marque from whom I’ve purchased 1 excessively galore pairs of eyeglasses. Its civilization book is designed arsenic a integer guide, representing its stylish, innovative marque qualities well.

I particularly emotion nan aesthetically pleasing colour scheme, soft fonts, imagery, and consciousness of humor.

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While I’m willing successful a company's origin, I don’t needfully want to publication a lengthy history book astir it.

Warby Parker does a phenomenal occupation of keeping its history short and easy digestible by designing nan root communicative arsenic a matter speech and nan history arsenic a ocular timeline.

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Lastly, I emotion nan accent connected nan institution values, framed arsenic “Our Promise.” This shows that these statements aren’t conscionable things nan marque values and hopes to execute but vows to.

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If I were an worker astatine this company, I would consciousness assured that this is simply a spot that encourages creativity, doesn’t return itself excessively seriously, and prioritizes nan well-being of its workforce.

2. Netflix

Netflix’s civilization page is simply a awesome illustration of really a marque tin personalize its worker handbook for potential, new, and long-time hires.

While an worker handbook has a batch of important, mandatory information, it tin besides excite employees.

Unlike Warby Parker, this page has a crisp and cleanable black-and-white design. However, I deliberation this useful good pinch nan connection used. It’s a sincere and honorable ode to nan civilization they person and aspire to have.

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I emotion nan supra introduction, arsenic it authentically reveals what Netflix prioritizes successful its workforce while admitting that it sometimes falls short of these goals and is simply a activity successful progress.

As a caller hire, joining a institution that prides itself connected perfection is intimidating, truthful it’s a alleviation to cognize you tin beryllium a portion of nan continuous growth.

Below is simply a snapshot of really Netflix outlines its rules, without getting excessively into nan weeds (that’s for internal, hired employees).

I admit this conception because it calls retired that location are strict rules for basal policies, specified arsenic harassment and privacy.

But then, nan marque personalizes by stating immoderate of their little superior policies, specified arsenic “Take vacation” being their picnic policy, and “Act successful Netflix’s champion interests” being nan expenses policy.

Language for illustration this gives important accusation while offering discourse astir nan institution culture. There is simply a measurement to beryllium superior astir superior matters and playful astir nan nosy parts of an worker handbook.

3. HubSpot

Not to toot our ain horn, but nan HubSpot Culture Code is beautiful great.

One of my galore favourite parts is that it’s successful a descent position format. This makes it consciousness little daunting and much accessible to flip done connected occasion, alternatively than digging done a lengthy document.

I admit that HubSpot recognizes nan Culture Code arsenic much than conscionable an worker handbook — it’s a measurement of life. It goes beyond nan basal by explaining nan hows and whys caller hires attraction about.

After all, occupation descriptions picture a batch astir a domiciled but little astir really it feels to beryllium a portion of nan community.

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Since nan Culture Code is 128 slides, there’s a speedy summary of nan tenets connected descent 17. Not only does this usability arsenic a benignant of array of contents, but it besides useful arsenic a group of institution values that will beryllium influential.

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The HubSpot Culture Code seamlessly combines important policies and accusation for caller hires pinch motivational, innovative messages. It conveys cardinal ineligible and taste points successful nan aforesaid presentation.

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For instance, successful nan descent shown above, caller hires person definitive accusation astir profession improvement opportunities disposable astatine nan company.

This aligns pinch nan Performance and profession improvement policies mentioned above while being reassured that HubSpot prioritizes profession maturation conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic its products.

I’m besides a large instrumentality of short, clear mottos that are easy to callback and use to respective challenging situations. Things tin get analyzable successful a caller job, truthful connecting a problem to nan basics tin thief caller hires put their activity into perspective.

You tin spot this conception exemplified successful nan pursuing slide.

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Now that I’ve walked done immoderate powerful worker handbook samples, publication connected for codification of behaviour samples.

Code of Conduct Samples

The codification of conduct, which follows nan institution overview conception of an worker handbook, is mostly important and arsenic as difficult to trade from scratch.

That’s why I’ve included immoderate existent examples of successful and inspiring codes of conduct:

• Google's Code of Conduct
• Coca-Cola's Code of Conduct
• Starbucks' Code of Conduct
• Meta's Code of Conduct

More Than a Handbook

I’ve ne'er considered really basal an worker handbook tin be. I’ve referred to galore of excavation earlier for knowing my authorities and responsibilities.

However, moving connected this station taught maine that an worker handbook besides offers nan opportunity to marque 1 of nan first documents caller hires touch.

It’s an opportunity to stock a company’s characteristic and what makes it an astonishing spot to work. Your caller prosecute had nan chance to impressment you — now it’s your opportunity to impressment them.

Editor's note: This station was primitively published successful December 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.