Support for your business
Staff Handbooks / Policies and Procedures
Having a staff handbook isn’t a requirement of businesses, but it can be an extremely useful resource in assisting employers and employees to manage their relationship with each other. A well drafted staff handbook establishes the guidelines and procedures to be followed in a variety of different circumstances and is generally used in conjunction with the contractual terms, set out in the contract of employment.
A staff handbook keeps staff well-informed and effectively sets the expectations for both the employee and the employer. In our experience, the existence of a well drafted staff handbook can foster better employment relations and prevent disputes developing.
Policies and Procedures
Having policies and procedures in place is essential to the smooth running of an organisation. Well drafted policies give guidance on what will occur in certain situations, and also set out expected performance and behaviour in the workplace, giving employees guidelines on exactly what is needed whilst they’re employed. In our experience, the existence alone of this kind of resource can significantly encourage a more collaborative culture within a business and, in so doing, prevent disputes from evolving at all.
If you are looking to draft or update your policies and procedures, we recommend that you seek legal advice in order to ensure that the documents meet the current employment legislation requirements and also provide the management of the workforce in the optimum manner.
What Should be Included in the Staff Handbook?
Staff handbooks are in an employee’s best interests and should include all the essential policies and procedures that employees need access to. The contents of the staff handbook depend upon the size of your organisation and the industry that you work within.
The following policies are just a few examples of the policies that should be included in any staff handbook:
- Grievance and disciplinary policies;
- Maternity and paternity leave policies;
- Sickness absence policy;
- Data Protection policy;
- Health and safety policy;
- Anti-corruption and bribery policy; and
- Whistleblowing policy.
Staff handbooks are a really useful resource for employers and employees, and should therefore be considered a priority. We work with our clients to draft policies and procedures that are appropriate and valuable to their organisations and workforce, keeping them compliant with up to date legislation. If you would like advice on the drafting procedures for your workplace and the necessary components of a staff handbook, please get in touch with our Employment Team.
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