5 Little-Known Policies that Need to Be in Your Employee Handbook

In years past you might have retained your apology into a minimum for fear that workers would not see a novel-size document. You probably only comprised basic starter polices — code of behavior, anti-discrimination attempts and termination processes.

But if you have experienced business growth or management challenges in the last couple of decades, these policies might be insufficient. To better protect your workers and company, it might be time to bring a few new coverages.

Listed below are five discretionary, but important, HR policies you need to look at adding to another version of your employee handbook.

1. Dress code policy
Including a dress code coverage for your employee handbook not only makes it much easier to speak to workers who might not be after the coverage, but in addition, it provides them a better knowledge of exactly what is or is not acceptable workplace apparel. It helps supervisors maintain a consistent solution to the matter, which will decrease any negative consequences or issues going forward.

• Ensure it is consistent with your business culture and customers’ expectations.

• If applicable to this job, look at including expectations concerning grooming, cleanliness, tattoos and piercings.

• Make certain it’s written so everyone gets treated the same.

• in some instances, religious accommodations might be made with attention to both private and business expectations.

2. Worker dating coverage
Despite the fact that you would like to encourage a friendly, cozy setting, a worker dating coverage can help your business prevent distractions and workplace conflicts.

Some supervisors might be uncomfortable telling workers what to do in their time. Thus, an official policy might help them begin the dialogue and manage it correctly.

Make it crystal clear that the provider isn’t interested in controlling your workers’ own lives or depriving worker interaction.

Frequent stipulations that firms include in a worker relationship coverage are:

• If workers become concerned, they Can’t report to another, can’t be of substantially different position and Cannot work at the Exact Same section

• Couples should keep it professional and never behave as a few in the office — no PDA or combating

3. Flexible work arrangement policy
If you are getting a considerable number of requests for task flexibility (e.g., telecommuting, flextime) out of workers, it might be time to set an official policy in place to ensure everybody is treated fairly.

With careful preparation and a clear policy for managers and workers, you are able to make certain productivity is not jeopardized and conclusions are impartial.

• Who is qualified — Make it crystal clear that eligibility is based on if or not a flexible work arrangement matches the business requirements of your employees’ work environment.

• An petition and review procedure — Produce a set of processes concerning how suggested flexible work agreements gain acceptance, including measures for supervisors and employees to follow.

• Guidelines that all parties could comprehend — Provide a few basic recommendations for creating any work flexibility arrangement simpler, for example trial intervals, the way to convey the arrangement into applicable departments and how to accommodate project tasks to the new strategy.

4. Gifts and favors coverage
Gift favors and giving may easily produce a conflict of interest between your vendors and personnel with purchasing duties, your clients and sales reps, along with your hiring managers and job applicants.

A formal presents and favors manual coverage may offer advice on buying, hiring and sales discussions so that choices are based on business (not personal) interests.

A strong gifts and favors coverage communicates:
• Agreements with sellers; customers or possible workers shouldn’t be affected by promises of favors and gifts.

• What types of courtesy favors and gifts are OK to take (e.g., company lunches, tickets to cultural or sporting events, holiday baskets, flowers, etc.) depending on what is habitual to your business.

5. Worker complaint-resolution coverage
A worker complaint resolution plan and procedure provides your workers with a constructive method to voice their issues. While they will love the opportunity to be noticed, this gives you the chance to deal with conflicts you may not otherwise have known about, letting you diffuse workplace distractions earlier.

And if an employee relations issue erupt, a complaint-resolution policy in your employee handbook (that should include an identification page for workers to signal ) will help your business defend itself in case a worker files a regulatory fee or litigation.

An effective worker complaint-resolution coverage should:
Appoint a qualified individual or committee are the principal point of contact for managing employee complaints; make certain to include that individual’s contact data in your employee handbook.

• Summarize the steps employees should take before submitting a complaint.

• Describe the way complaints are investigated and managed.

These little-known employee handbook policies may go a long way toward averting HR headaches and decreasing company obligations.