Staff Handbooks

The Staff Handbook

Introduction to the staff handbook

A staff handbook is a guide to terms, conditions, rules, regulations and policies that govern how people employed by a company should behave and the broad terms under which they are employed.

The creation of a staff handbook might seem like a bureaucratic process to some businesses but it is actually a very important document. If the handbook and the policies it contains are kept up to date, communicated and embedded your business benefits can be very significant.

All staff should have a better understanding of what is require of them and where the boundaries lie. The company should have some protection from expensive legal claims for unfair treatment or breaches in health and safety regulations, for example and the quality of relationships and output should be higher.

In these days of technology based information systems, the handbook need not be one very large file or document that sits on a shelf somewhere, or even a collection of booklets – it can be made available via a content index on the company’s intranet with hotlinks to the various individual documents, information and forms that staff need to know about. Some documents may also be relevant to a wide audience and therefore made available on the corporate public website.

Policy development

In developing and reviewing policies it is important that wide staff consultation takes place as staff will be able to help ensure the policies are workable. It is also well known that people are much more likely to advocate and follow policies and practices that they have had a hand in developing.

Contents of a staff handbook

The policies and information that are usually included in the staff handbook are divided between Human Resource (HR) Policies and non HR Operational Policies. The handbook will need to be tailored to the requirements of your company. It should include your most commonly used forms and template or at lease say where to find them.

It is good idea to start with an introduction to the company and business. The introduction should aim in a few sentences to inform new staff about the company.

A couple of lines on the importance placed on valuing and developing staff are also often included – try to give a feel for the culture of the company.
Policies that would normally be expected to be included in the staff handbook are: HR Policies and non HR – Operational Policies.