Employee Handbooks
Every business needs a company employee handbook. Yet any old handbook won’t do. Plenty of business owners and managers resort to a quick Google search to find a free employee handbook. Unfortunately, far too many make the mistake of copying the Google employee handbook that they’ve looked up nearly word for word. Each business must have its own unique employee handbook that speaks to the company’s individual nuances. No two employee handbooks should be the same yet in reality, many are near carbon copies of one another. While a Google search is an important first step for a free employee handbook small business, relying on the query results should only serve as a guide to developing your company’s unique employee handbook. Sometimes, employee handbook software is also necessary to build the perfect guide.
Some readers are probably questioning why a company handbook is even necessary. There are a number of answers to this question. First and foremost, the employee handbook outlines employer policies. This is an especially important function for small businesses as an employee’s lawsuit has the potential to cripple operations. The employee handbook should describe in significant detail what the employer expects of its employees, whether drug tests can be administered (and how) and how extensive of a notice an employee must provide when leaving his position. It must also include sexual harassment policies, general harassment policies and how much vacation time, paid time off and sick time employees receive. Feel free to check out the download above to see the free employee handbook pdf for more information regarding the contents of employee handbooks.
Employee Handbook Sample
When attempting to craft your company’s employee handbook, a sample employee handbook for small businesses is an excellent reference point yet its content won’t be automatically applicable to your organization. Each company has its own distinct culture, policies, requirements and expectations of employees. Therefore, each organization requires an employee handbook that is custom tailored to its idiosyncrasies rather than those found in an employee handbook sample for small business found through a Google search. Ask any successful business that has been operating for years and the owner/manager will testify that he did not solely rely on a simple employee handbook sample to construct his company’s guide.
Do not fall into the trap of copying an employee handbook sample word for word. Even paraphrasing the content of employee handbook examples can lead to trouble down the road. While a free employee handbook sample will help you create the perfect guide for your business, it should not be your sole resource. Perform more research, consult with the download above, find another employee handbook sample pdf and even consider meeting with an attorney to ensure the legality of your employee handbook’s contents. Sit down and think about the expectations that you have for your company’s employees. Consider how you want them to be treated, how they should behave and build an employee handbook checklist. Then begin writing your company’s employee handbook according to this criteria.
