Employee Handbook Essentials - Reward and Recognition for Employees

If your new employer is of the progressive type they the company will have, and provide you with, an employee handbook. This is vital, printed material outlining everything (hopefully) related to your job. Too often the cry is that you did not get it in writing but if you have an official employee handbook you will be well armed in your future with the company. The employee handbook will not address every aspect of the employment but it should be comprehensive nonetheless and will serve as a useful guide as you become familiar with your new employer. This guide is a generic one as employers will have different versions of the book but you should do your uttermost to read it (and be comfortable with the contents) if your employer provides the handbook.

Starting point

An employee handbook will be cordial and will initially welcome you to the company for example:

Dear Employee: ‘Congratulations on securing employment with… You have joined a team of more than xxx employees’

and it will also mention professionalism, hard work and challenges and it will be signed by the CEO or someone of importance.

The important stuff (for the employee) should be at the front of the employee handbook. There will not be a mention of your salary or other benefits specific to you as the handbook is generic and will apply to all employees. Salary information will be covered in your contract letter or the contract of employment itself.

Keeping an employee handbook

This first section is important and concerns hours you are expected to work and agreed vacation and leave time. Make notes and keep it updated, as things change over time, and you may not be issued an updated version.

• Hours of Employment
• Annual Leave
• Sick Leave
• Holidays
• Leave of Absence with pay such as maternity leave
• Leave of Absence without pay perhaps Military Leave
• Retirement Program

The employee handbook should contain a section on Health and Safety which should mention all of the following topics in varying degrees of detail.

• Violence in the Workplace
• Employee Rights and Responsibilities
• Sexual Discrimination Policy
• Celebrate Diversity Policy
• Alcohol and Drug Policy
• Smoke Free Workplace Policy
• Caring for the Environment

Compensation

The Compensation section should have information on paydays, overtime, shift premium (if applicable) medical benefits, crèche facilities, pensions, travel, motor pool use and the means of paying you your income (cash, bank or EFT etc.) On site parking is often considered a ‘perk’ of the job and is included in this section?

Oddities in the employee handbook

Some employers will have (what at first seems odd) strange rules in the handbook. I have seen regulations on compulsory wearing of flat shoes, no make-up, no chewing gum, no facial hair, no office plants and not allowing married people to work together during the same hours. Rules are specific to the occupation so they may make sense at some level.

Sample section concerns Employee involvement in Organizations

You may join and participate* in employee organizations and employees can take an active part in programs that promote the general well being of staff. Employers may have sports and gym facilities and may have teams (and individuals) competing in competitions. For non sporty staff there might be book clubs and Chess & Checkers clubs. Participation in any of the in-house clubs as a committee member is your personal choice. There are very few limitations on your personal activities but check with your employer if you are contemplating some extreme activity.

Note* In general, you are not permitted to engage in any employment, activity, or enterprise that conflicts with your duties as an employee.

Discipline will feature in an employee handbook

You should see something like: Below par performance will be dealt with by supervisor and you will be informed specifically of the deficiencies and given ample opportunity to address your performance.

Disciplinary action is usually of a progressive nature with verbal and written warnings first, followed by suspensions, demotion and even dismissal if the offence warrants it. Instant dismissal is an option for most employers but the employee will have committed a very grave offence to warrant such action. A list of such serious offences will be included in employee handbooks.

Disputes and resolution topics

Apart from a routine grievance or complaint procedure a process of mediation should be outlined in the employee handbook. A reputable employer will have a mediation policy and a cross section of the staff will comprise a committee to rule on issues that occur. To be selected for such a committee individuals must be above reproach and sworn to secrecy. Entry into the mediation policy must be voluntarily and agreed by both the employer and employee.

There will be other sections on Resignation, Layoffs, Insurance, Strikes and probationary periods and there should be a final section called ‘GLOSSARY’ which presents and explains all of the Three Letter Acronyms (TLAs) used in the documents well as all those legalistic terms that you will find sprinkled throughout the employee handbook.