Beyond the Typical Company Handbook – Companies are getting more out their employees with effective company policies.
What is typical?
A typical handbook gives employees a laundry list of do’s and don’ts, a description of benefits and how they get paid, and an idea of who to speak with if they ever have an issue. The handbook is then acknowledged as inconsequential and put in a desk to gather dust.
A new way of looking at it:
Newer, more effective handbooks are living documents that will hopefully give an employee a clear picture of how they fit into an organization, along with a glossary to find out what the dress code is and what holidays a company observes. But it can also give employees:
- Access to the company mission statement, which will most likely describe how employees fit into the company’s ability to achieve their goals. How are we as employees accountable to one another and how are we accountable to our customers?
- An overall work flow description for the company – how each department’s process fits into what the company offers an end user or customer.
- An avenue to find the answers to everyday employment questions.
- A link to the company’s intranet site where many employers provide up to date company information and announcements, which when accessible, may encourage employees to remain more engaged and therefore more productive and accountable.