Staff or Employee Handbook

A staff or employee handbook (also referred to as a company policy manual) is given to an employee when they start work. The aim of the handbook is to document information about the company culture, policies and procedures.

If you’ve been in your business along time, it’s easy to forget the apprehension of starting a new job. Most new employees are keen to settle in as quickly as they can, and a handbook is a great way to accelerate this process. The Handbook also provides answers to questions that a new joiner wants to ask, but might not want to ‘bother’ their new boss about!

The Handbook is a single place where all of the information relevant to the employee’s relationship with the employer can be recorded and updated.

A staff handbook is unique to the particular organisation, but typically every handbook will include the following sections:

• A welcome statement from the person at the top of the organisation which outlines the company’s mission, values and culture.
• Information relevant to each employee such as arrangements for annual leave and company-wide benefits. The list can be long but here are some of the main headings you’d expect to find:
  • General employment information
  • Attendance at work
  • Company representation and expected levels of professionalism
  • Pay and benefits
  • Time away from work
  • Use of company equipment
  • Performance expectations and evaluation
• Specific rules and policies, e.g. disciplinary and grievances policy and others which are required to conform with current employment law.

vivoHR has the requisite information to assist develop an Employee Handbook for your business. Contact us below and we’d be happy to speak to you.