Many employers provide their employees (especially new employees) with handbooks that cover every question, hazard and need from the job – which is essential when getting the ball rolling for your business. Effective employee handbooks, however, can be hard for employers to create.
While your first instinct may be to find a template online that can guide you through your first employee handbook (which may be cheap and quick), these could pose serious risks that may cause problems for your business. Here’s what you should know:
Regulating your employees without problems
There are many factors business owners have to consider when taking on a team – and you need your handbook to cover the essentials that every employee should have. You may consider including:
- Non-harassment policies
- Social media policies
- Privacy policies
- Standard of conduct
- Employee rights and obligations
- Disciplinary policies
- Agreement and signature papers
The chief danger of online templates is that they don’t always comply with state and local regulations. That could, in the future, cause your company serious legal issues if an employee is not properly informed of their rights. They also lack customization, which can be inconvenient.
Avoiding legal trouble in your employee handbook
If your employee handbook is stepping on legal boundaries that can damage your business’s reputation or give rise to litigation, you have a problem. A good employee handbook is designed to regulate without being overly complicated or restraining.
Making sure your employee handbook stays within legal parameters isn’t always easy. Laws change, businesses grow and employees can cause problems. Reaching out for legal counsel may benefit you and your business.