Employee Handbooks

Employee handbooks are powerful tools that communicate your business’s policies, best practices, benefits, team culture, and more. They clearly state your organization’s expectations and foster a positive and vibrant work environment. We strongly recommend that our clients have an employee handbook written and ready to deploy, as it can significantly enhance their business operations and employee relations.

Learn about our done-for-you employee handbook builder.

What are the benefits of employee handbooks?

The most significant benefit of employee handbooks is that they consolidate important information in one place, making it easy for leaders and team members to find answers to their questions. This can help you to mitigate misunderstandings down the road. 

Moreover, employee handbooks serve as a crucial tool in protecting your business from potential claims, demonstrating the importance of this document in safeguarding your business interests.

Finally, the handbooks will facilitate fair and equal treatment of your employees and help new employees become familiar with how things work.

Does the law require employee handbooks? 

Check with your state, as requirements vary. For example, according to the California Chamber, California does not require employees to have a handbook; however, they are encouraged to have one, and if you do create one, certain policies must be included. 

According to Zywave, employee handbooks should account for federal, state, and local laws and regulations and the policies and procedures you have developed as a company. 

You should also create multiple handbooks for exempt, non-exempt, unionized, or employees who speak another language. 

What goes in the handbook?

In an outline provided by Zywave, sections you may wish to include in your employee handbook include:

• Welcome
• General Information
• Antidiscrimination Policies
• Compensation
• Computers and Technology
• Employee Benefits
• Essential Provisions
• Leave Policies
• Safety and Security
• Standards of Conduct
• Work Schedules

How do I get started?

Before you know it, creating an in-depth employee handbook may feel daunting! And that’s the last thing we want you to feel. Therefore, we offer our clients and prospects a done-for-you employee handbook builder. This tool can save you money and time while ensuring compliance. Employees who understand company processes will likely be happier and more effective.

To start, complete the builder below. Once we receive it, we will invoice you. You will receive your finished employee handbook within 48 business hours of paying the invoice.

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Please note that having employment counsel review the handbook before distributing it is strongly recommended.

Sources: Zywave, California Chamber of Commerce