The Necessity of Having an Employee Manual and Handbook

 The Necessity of Having an Employee Manual and Handbook
 
Let's face it, rules can be annoying, bothersome, and sometimes downright unnecessary -- or are they? Aside from the Constitution of the United States, the next largest compilation of laws and rules would probably be an employee handbook; at least it seems that way! How many of you have gotten that great new job, only to be handed "the Company Bible" on your first day?
 
The handbook varies from company to company, but even though it differs in wording, the content is still basically the same. These rules that feel rigid and inflexible are what protect your time off, available work hours, vacation time, sick time, absenteeism -- the list goes on.
 
Although handbooks are quite necessary in larger businesses and corporations, simply due to the large number of employees, it is even more important in the small business with only a few employees. Some of these small business owners keep their office atmosphere extremely laid back and casual with the intention of making all of the employees feel unique and valuable. While the notion is admirable, the end result could be bad.
 
Listed below are just a few reasons why it is imperative that small businesses have an employee handbook:
 
Practices as well as errors from both the past and the present serve as "policies" if there is no handbook available for consultation.
 
Example - An employee, when first hired is an exemplary model of professional employee behavior. There is no handbook -- the employee begins showing up late, missing days, etc. When questioned concerning this behavior, they reply, "I've been doing it since I started, and NOW you don't like it?"
 
Although your company is small, the same laws apply governing Civil Rights, Federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act, and anti-discrimination laws.
 
A handbook is the best way to organize and circulate your company policies in regards to these laws. Because they can sometimes be confusing, try to be as clear and concise as possible about company policy. Include a contact name and number for a department head that is able to explain them in depth if there are any questions.
 
Lessen the chance of any litigation being brought against the company, by communicating with the employees about the handbook and their understanding of it.
 
Employees need to see that they are being treated fairly and that standards apply to all equally.
 
In all fairness to the employee, they deserve a hard copy of the policies that they can reference at anytime. This makes it evident to all that there are no "favorite employees."
 
The handbook doesn't have to be boring and difficult to decipher, keep it a little relaxed. Try to correlate it to the atmosphere you try to create in the workplace. Do not make it a never-ending list of "do's and don’ts". Listen to the employee feedback to learn new ways of making the handbook more accessible and understandable.
 
Now ask yourself again, the "Employee Bible", is it really all that bothersome or is it, in fact, a necessity?