Writing an Employee Handbook

Hello Community! Do your employees know the company policies and procedures? As a business owner, it's helpful to make sure all staff know company policies to avoid misunderstandings and legal issues. To do this, you can create an easy-to-follow employee handbook! Make sure to keep reading to learn how and even get a free template from the full article in the QuickBooks Blog here. Let’s go over the steps together:

1. Review and gather company policies and procedures:
To write an effective handbook, make sure to have the latest information on company policies and procedures. Take the time to review any recent changes before starting the writing process. It's also helpful if you have already established some policies through emails or memos.
2. Create an outline of everything you’ll include: When you make your handbook, it's important to first make an outline of everything you want to include. This helps make sure you don't forget anything important. For instance, restaurant owners may want to focus on employee hiring and termination since they have a lot of staff turnover.
3. Write clear and concise content, and avoid jargon: To make the handbook easy to comprehend, use plain language and avoid technical terms, provide links to complex topics, and allow staff to ask questions if something is not clear.
4. Send it through an internal editing process: Before you finish your handbook, have a few people on your team read it and make sure it makes sense and is free of mistakes.
5. Have an attorney ensure accuracy and compliance: Get a lawyer to review your handbook to make sure it follows work laws and includes policies like overtime pay and workplace harassment.
6. Use consistent format and design: Once you’ve had your handbook reviewed by your team and an attorney, you can now go get it designed to make it look good and show off your branding.
7. Publish handbook to employees: Alongside having an electronic version, make sure to print and distribute physical copies to your employees.
8. Update it yearly or as policies and procedures change: If any company policies change, update your handbook to stay consistent.

I hope this is helpful for you in getting started! For more details on each step as well as the benefits and what should be included in the handbook, make sure to check out the full article here. See you next time!