Five Significant Reasons Why Employers Need An Employee Manual

When you're an owner of a business, you want it to be successful. You must ensure that everything involving your business runs smoothly, whether it's the labor or the operations. For everything to run like clockwork, your employees need to know what their jobs are and how important fulfilling those tasks is. They also need to know the regulations and rules to follow when at work so that your business runs in harmony.

This is not as simple as telling them what they're expected to do and not do and holding an orientation may not be enough. After all, the human mind can forget things and your employees shouldn't be expected to remember it all... especially on the first day.

It's for these reasons that each business needs an employee manual/handbook. Human resources personnel along with the employer can come up with an employee manual. However, it's better to get the assistance of an employment attorney. After all, he/she will know what rules and regulations you are proposing to set forth will conflict with the labor and employment laws.

If you're running a company, then speak with an experience employment lawyer.

Five Reasons Why You Need An Employee Manual

1 - Employers will clearly define that the employment connection is at-will, giving the employee notice of what the scope, nature and working relationship is. It helps to reduce or eliminate any wrongful termination claims.

2 - Provisions to the system and/or manner of submitting grievances along with any disciplinary procedure that give employees the right venue to air out their concerns and enforce an impartial ways to discipline delinquent employees.

3 - Retaliation, harassment and discrimination policies help to protect the employer from any legal liability if an employee files a lawsuit.

4 - Data on set payday, set work hours along with policies on holidays, overtime, sick pay and vacation so the employer is not paying out unfair wage claims.

5 - Employer can set specific code of conduct and behavior for employees including dress code, absentee/tardiness and provide employees with a guide on what they need to avoid so they don't get fired.

The employee handbook or manual is an excellent place to bring together employment and job-related information which employees need to know. It can include holiday arrangements, company rules and disciplinary and grievance procedures and other importance rules and regulations to follow. It can also provide useful source of information to new hired staff as part of the induction process. A written employee manual gives clear advice to employees and creates a culture where issues are dealt with fairly and consistently during the employment period.