Creating an employee handbook for the first time can be a daunting task. Whether starting from scratch or updating an existing handbook, following these best practices can help you create a comprehensive and effective employee guide.
Preparing to create your employee handbook
Collaborate for Success: Gather a team to ensure your handbook reflects the needs and culture of your company. A collaborative effort often results in a more comprehensive and useful handbook.
Review Employee Data: Understand your workforce. Know the total number of employees and how many are in each state. This information will guide the structure and content of your handbook.
Identify Additional Policies: Establish clear, optional policies that suit your company’s needs without infringing on employee rights. Clear policies help ensure smooth operations and consistent conflict resolution.
💡 During the Q+A flow, you will be asked to include optional policies in your Employee Handbook. You can also explore all policies in the Policy Library.
Types of employee handbooks you can create in SixFifty
Employers generally choose one of these main structures for their employee handbook:
1. Core handbook with state addenda
This option provides a core handbook that contains policies that apply to everyone in your company, like required federal policies and any optional policies you include. To account for state requirements, there are addenda attached to the core handbook that contains the required policies for each state where your employees work.
2. State requirements in the policy
In this handbook, state requirements are not contained in the attached addenda. Instead, there are subsections in policies that outline the requirements of each state where you have employees.
3. Universal leave policies
This handbook is similar to the "State requirements in policy" option, but the leave policies are set at the highest standard nationwide. This way your employees have the same amount of leave no matter where they are.
How often to update your handbook
Annual Review: The best practice is to review and update your handbook annually, especially at the start of the new year.
Legal Changes: Laws often change on January 1st. Stay ahead by planning updates accordingly.
Organizational Changes: Significant changes in company size or structure should prompt a review.
New States: Hiring in new states requires updating your handbook to include relevant state policies.
Automated Updates Rather than waiting for issues to arise, SixFifty will notify you within the app when it’s time to regenerate your handbook due to changing laws.
When your Employee Handbook is in "Needs Update" status, it is time to regenerate your handbook.
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