How To Write Employee Policies and Procedures: A Guide for Small Businesses Dianne Shaddock
2011
WWW.EASYSMALLBUSINESSHR.COM
Writing policies and procedures for your business can seem overwhelming; but it is critically important, no matter the size of your business. Why? Whether you have one employee or 100 employees, they need to understand your company's expectations and standards of behavior. It's also customary to highlight your mission, vision and values through your policy and procedures. There are policies that are required by local regulatory agencies that affect your employees and that may need to be communicated to staff. Some of these policies may include restrictions around hiring minors, fair pay policies, or sexual harassment policies. It will also be critical that your policies: • Be inclusive and fair • Meet the legal requirements for businesses in your region • Protect your organization from potential lawsuits from job applicants, as well as current and former employees • Support the culture, mission and values, but also core policies that address today’s complicated workforce and workforce issues. Start by reviewing your current employee policies in order to ensure that your policies are current and relevant to today's workplace challenges. 2
Then perform research on what policies are critical, must have policies for your area. If you live in the U.S., the first place to look is the Department of Labor. You can perform searches by state to learn more about the regulations that impact the hiring and managing of employees. Now write a short list of things that are important to communicate to your employees. Your list may include things like: Time off Benefits Behavior expectations Hiring and termination policies Sexual Harassment policies Internet and Email Security policies Once you've outlined your internal expectations, write short policies that address these expectations. For more assistance in writing employee policies and procedures, take a look at the website for the Small Business Administration. There are sample policies on this website that can be modified for any business. Another great resource is Writing Effective Policies and Procedures: A Step-By-Step Resource for Clear Communication
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Dianne Shaddock is the Founder of Easy Small Business HR, Employee Hiring and Managing Tips. Through the Employee Hiring and Managing Tips podcast, blog, and weekly ‘quick tips’ e-newsletters, Dianne offers expert advice on how to make better hiring decisions, manage difficult employees, develop employee policies, motivate staff, and so much more. No stuffy, corporate HR policy lingo; but straight forward, easy to understand and implement advice for businesses just like yours. Stay ahead of the curve and go to Easy Small Business HR for more tips on how to hire and manage your staff effectively.
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