The purposes and the scope of employee handbook policies and the practices are changing and expanding. From a siloed HR activity that creates insular documents concerned primarily with communicating the organizational work rules and benefits, employee handbook policies and practices have evolved into a critical component of an organization-wide management process that maximizes organizations' achievement of business objectives, enhances the value of their human capital, and minimizes legal risk.
To increase the effectiveness of their employment policies, organizations will have to:
Thus employee handbooks will increasingly have to ensure that they are aligned with strategic and business objectives, are properly drafted, and are effectively implemented. Additionally they will have to:
From this perspective, employee handbooks will continue to play an important role in communicating with and providing information for employees.
Employee handbooks have become a valuable tool in providing important information to employees. Handbooks describe what employers expect of their employees, and what employees can (should) expect from their employers. Handbooks provide critical information about their employers, workplaces, and HR policies and procedures, and describe how employees are expected to fit in.
Additionally, employee handbooks formalize the mutual expectations of organizations and their employees. In delineating these expectations employee handbooks create opportunities and risks for employers. Handbooks provide organizations with the opportunity to enhance the value of their human capital, make their organizations more competitive, and improve individual and organizational performance.
Conversely, handbooks can impede the achievement of business objectives, increase employment related liabilities, and reduce managerial prerogatives by making promises or commitments to certain procedural safeguards that the organization did not intend to make. As noted in the recent memorandum from the General Counsel of the NLRB: incorrectly designed employee handbooks can violate the law and have a “chilling effect” on employees’ activities.
Thus, employee handbooks increasingly provide for employers the opportunity to make their workforce more committed to and supportive of organizational goals. At the same time, they also provide the basis for employees’ legal action and can significantly reduce employees’ commitment to organizational success.
Thus, employee handbooks will increasingly have to ensure that they are aligned with strategic and business objectives, are properly drafted, and effectively implemented. Additionally, employee handbooks will have to:
From this perspective, employee handbooks will continue to play an important role in communicating with and providing information for employees.
Employee handbooks have become a valuable tool in providing important information to employees. Handbooks describe what employers expect of their employees, and what employees can (should) expect from their employers. Handbooks provide critical information about their employers, workplaces, and HR policies and procedures, and describe how employees are expected to fit in.
Additionally, employee handbooks formalize the mutual expectations of organizations and their employees. In delineating these expectations employee handbooks create opportunities and risks for employers. Handbooks provide organizations with the opportunity to enhance the value of their human capital, make their organizations more competitive, and improve individual and organizational performance.
Conversely, handbooks can impede the achievement of business objectives, increase employment related liabilities, and reduce managerial prerogatives by making promises or commitments to certain procedural safeguards that the organization did not intend to make. As noted in the recent memorandum from the General Counsel of the NLRB: incorrectly designed employee handbooks can violate the law and have a “chilling effect” on employees’ activities.
Thus, employee handbooks increasingly provide for employers the opportunity to make their workforce more committed to and supportive of organizational goals. At the same time, they also provide the basis for employees’ legal action and can significantly reduce employees’ commitment to organizational success.
Thus, employee handbooks will increasingly have to ensure that they are aligned with strategic and business objectives, are properly drafted, and effectively implemented. Additionally, employee handbooks will have to:
From this perspective, employee handbooks will continue to play an important role in communicating with and providing information for employees.
Ronald L. Adler
Ronald L. Adler, president of Laurdan Associates Inc. has 42 years of HR consulting experience and has served as a consulting expert on work force, workplace, and HR management issues for The Wall Street Journal, HRMagazine, and other publications and newspapers across the country. Mr. Adler's research findings have been used by the Federal Reserve Board, the EEOC, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), insurers, and international organizations.Mr. Adler is a frequent lecturer and author on HR management, employment practices, and UI issues. Mr. Adler is the author and editor of the Employment-Labor …
Updated Metro 2®, e-OSCAR and the New Tougher FCRA/CFPB Com…
Conquer Toxic People - Learn To Protect Yourself And Get Yo…
Introduction to Generative AI for Accountants
Dealing With Difficult People In Life & Work
Surviving and Thriving Organizational Change and Loss: The …
Impact Assessment and Risk Management for Change Control
How to Write Effective Audit Observations: The Principles f…
Excel Deep Dive: Advanced Tips & Techniques – A 3-hour Work…
FDA Regulation of Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning
Coming Soon - New Minimum Salary Levels for Exempt Employee…
Marijuana: Compliance and Safety in the Workplace
Stressed Out: How to Handle Conflict, Difficult People and …
2025 Top Employment Regulations That Will Impact Employers!
How to Handle Workplace Conversations Around Politics and R…
Data Integrity: Compliance with 21 CFR Part 11, SaaS-Cloud,…
How to Give Corrective Feedback: The CARE Model - Eliminati…
Improving Employee Engagement & Retention Through Stay Inte…
SOPs - How to Write Them to Satisfy those Inspectors
Why EBITDA Doesn't Spell Cash Flow and What Does
Marketing to Medicare or Medicaid Beneficiaries - What You …
With Mandatory Paid Leave Gaining Ground Is It Time To Do A…
Human Error Reduction Techniques for Floor Supervisors
Documenting Misconduct that Will Stand Up in Court
Tattoos, hijabs, piercings, and pink hair: The challenges …
Trial Master File (TMF)/eTMF, & FDAs Draft Guidance for Ele…
Project Management for Non-Project Managers - How to commun…
OSHA Requirements for Supervisors, Project Leaders & HR - W…
Unlock Employee Loyalty: Stay Interviews Will Keep Them Eng…
Sunshine Act Reporting - Clarification for Clinical Research
FFIEC BSA/AML Examination Manual: What Compliance Officers …
Female to Female Hostility @Workplace: All you Need to Know
Humane Layoffs: How to Let People Go with Compassion and De…
Onboarding is NOT Orientation - How to Improve the New Empl…
Managing Toxic & Other Employees Who Have Attitude Issues
Building GMP Excellence: A Guide to Implementing Compliant …
Excel Power Skills: Master Functions, Formulas, and Macros …