Human resources policies and procedure manual

Converting a conference room to a lactation space for nursing employees? Updating the HR manual before any new process takes effect can help managers prepare to answer employee questions accurately and oversee the new programs consistently. Updating the employee handbook as new programs roll out can cut down on the number of questions employees have for managers, too. Download our free magazine: The Insperity guide to leadership and management.

Learn how Insperity can help your business. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Discover how we can improve your business. Subscribe When you are ready to subscribe click here. Sign in with Sign in with. Set expectations. Reduce potential liability. Give new employees a strong start with your company. An HR manual can reduce liability. Human resources guides can make the employee handbook more usable.

When does an organization need an employee handbook and an HR manual? Where to start with your HR manual and employee handbook If your organization is just getting started with both of these documents, it may be most efficient to start by working on your employee handbook and then building the HR manual to support your handbook policies.

How often should you update your HR manual and employee handbook? Discusses pay day, deductions, overtime, advances, and wage increases. This template provides an overview of the 11 most common Employee Benefits.

Plan specifics are not covered as they will be included in your benefits handbook. This is not our safety program, rather it sets forth company policy. This section identifies standards of conduct expected of all employees and explains corrective action measures that may be taken by the Company.

Explains the various mechanisms the company will use to communicate with employees, including grievances. A form for the employee to sign acknowledging receipt of the handbook and terms of interpretation. A form for the employee to sign indicating they understand the company procedure regarding workplace injuries and claims. The purpose of this procedure is to establish a consistent method used to recruit and hire employees and ensure compliance with governmental regulations and company Policy.

This procedure provides guidance for employee terminations and identifies some common legal pitfalls. A document that puts it on paper. Works great with the Travel Policy and forms. Policy and travel itinerary form, use it with the employee expense reimbursement procedure.

This policy discusses acceptable use of company provided devices, establishes procedures for software and app downloads, and sets expectations for employee privacy while using phones and computers.

Discusses the appropriate use of email and establishes user responsibilities. Division of Duties and Delegation of Authority Policies. A template that provides the basics for supervisory personnel. A template describing your policies regarding expenditures.

But while trust between the employer and the employees is important, not having clear and transparent guidelines is guaranteed to eventually lead to misunderstandings. Don't wait for issues to arise to formalize your policies. Set out clear ground rules for your employees, protect your rights as the employer, and ensure your team stays on the same page. Let's dive deeper into what essential HR policies need to be included in your employee handbook.

Human resource policies are formal rules and guidelines that businesses put in place to manage their employees. HR procedures , on the other hand, are step-by-step instructions that specify what actions should be taken to comply with these policies.

Defining these policies and procedures is one of the core functions of human resource management. HR procedures often take the form of standard operating procedure SOP documents.

Here's an example of what a documented HR policy looks like in Nuclino , a unified workspace for all your team's knowledge, docs, and projects — create an account and start documenting your HR policies in one central place:.

While some HR policies are required by law, it's not the only reason they are necessary. In addition to protecting your organization from legal claims, policies play an important role in fostering a culture of trust, fairness, and inclusion. They help create a safe and healthy working environment.

Keep the structure and formatting of your HR policies consistent. While every company has its own internal templates for writing HR policies, the content is usually quite similar and includes the following elements:. To be effective and deliver on the goals mentioned above, the HR policies also need to be searchable and easily discoverable by employees.

Publish the HR policies in your employee handbook or company intranet portal and share it with the entire team. Use internal links to organize related policies together and let your team browse the employee handbook like your team's own internal Wikipedia. The workplace is constantly evolving and modernizing, and it's important for your HR policies to reflect that. The exact list of policies you need to include in your employee handbook will depend on a number of factors, the size, location, industry, and the unique needs of your organization.

However, there are several key policies that most organizations deem necessary to have, regardless of circumstances. Code of conduct outlines the company's expectations of its employees in terms of behavior, defining what is acceptable and what is not, and keeping the workplace safe and comfortable for everyone. It usually addresses issues such as:.

The recruitment policy usually sets out criteria for candidate selection and outlines the new employee onboarding process.