Employee Handbook Service

Goals in choosing an Employee Handbook Service

The goal of an employee handbook service is to provide you, the employer, with a working employee handbook. The employee handbook service must produce a document that provides workers with clear guidelines regarding acceptable and non-acceptable behavior in the workplace.

When considering an employee handbook service, or a pre-packaged template, pay attention to how well the document limits downside risk in the event of a lawsuit. (Providing information about travel policies is great - but the real value of a company handbook is in the legal protection it gives employers).

Consider this scenario: An employee files a sexual harassment lawsuit against her employer, based on improper conduct from another employee. If the employer does not have a sexual harrassment policy in-place (written for all employees to see), the company may be accused of fostering an environment where sexual harassment is tolerated. However, with just a simple sexual harassment policy spelled out and distributed to all employees, via the employee handbook service, the company can protect itself from those claims. (Note that a company handbook can't win court cases for you, but it can help prove that you are serious about your policies).

Sexual harassment is just one area that needs to be part of the employee handbook service, or prepackaged template that you choose. Other important sections include equal opportunity employment, codes of conduct, causes for disciplinary action and termination certifications.

Remember, an employee handbook service is only as good as your adherence to it!