Human resources departments usually have the task of informing employees about the rules and regulations of the company. To achieve this, many HR departments produce an employee handbook that can help new hires figure out the system.
Unfortunately, these handbooks aren't always particularly clear in what they're trying to say. Some of them lose sight of the message by focusing too much on compliance and drowning in legalese. Most of the time, this deters new employees from reading the guidelines, potentially missing important information.
To help, 10 members of Forbes Human Resources Council look at the most common mistakes that HR departments make in producing their employee handbooks, and how they can avoid them.
1. Using Too Much Legalese
Most handbooks are written based on compliance and legalese, leaving employees confused and HR with the task of answering a lot of questions. Instead, change the perspective of your handbook to what your employees need to know, not what you want to tell them. Keep the compliance and policy language separate. Employees want quick, straightforward answers and info telling them why they should care. - Melissa Anzman, bettHR
2. Trying To Legislate Every Behavior
If you want an adult-adult relationship with your employees, you cannot legislate every behavior and exception in a handbook. Keep the handbook focused on a critical few business practices and policies. Use one page to set expectations about what it takes to have a healthy work environment, like employee responsibility for feedback. Last, if you have an acknowledgment, make it at least annual. - Karen Crone, Paycor, Inc.
3. Copying The Old Handbook
One mistake HR makes is copying and pasting the old handbook into a new look, with the same archaic policies. Instead, they need to have an "extreme makeover" of some of their policies, and bring them up to date for the year 2020. This may include the assistance of a committee, and may extend the project, but the "upgrade" will be more readily received than the same old way of doing business. - Tish McFadden, Maryland Oncology Hematology
4. Becoming Too Prescriptive
A common mistake made when creating employee handbooks is being overly prescriptive with policy in an effort to reign in past mistakes or unwanted behavior. I've found it impossible to capture all scenarios within any given policy, so less is typically more. Instead, clearly explaining the spirit of the policy may lead to better outcomes, especially when policy aligns with common sense behaviors. - Dr. Timothy J. Giardino, BMC Software
5. Not Automating Employee Handbooks
One of the most difficult aspects of employee handbooks is ensuring that they are always up-to-date, especially if you are in multiple locations. Automating your handbook through an attorney firm or legal service will take care of this for you. - Sherrie Suski, Tricon American Homes
6. Focusing On Risk Mitigation
Most employee handbooks are written in legal language, which tells employees that the primary role of the handbook is risk mitigation. While that may be true, keeping it useful and approachable, and humanizing the language to reflect a supportive engaging work experience, will go a long way toward the adoption of your policies. Consider including the language your company adopts. - Cat Graham, Cheer Partners
7. Too Much Policy, Not Enough Values
Don't allow policy to dominate your handbook. Teach the value system that guides decisions and the vision that inspires contribution. Minimize referencing policies to a link where key policies are found. Make your handbook an inspirational and simple guide to culture and value-based decision-making. Call it a culture book and inspire employees to read it constantly rather than dreading it. - David Alsop, Ultradent Products, Inc.
8. Unintended Loopholes
Creating extremely narrow and prescriptive policies and processes runs the risk of creating unintended loopholes. If a policy tries to address any eventuality, an employee will believe anything not in there is a loophole and that the behavior is exempt. Instead, focus on broad policies, reinforcing common sense behaviors with staff and leaders, and put more effort into operationalizing your values. - Rebecca Baumgartner, Ogletree Deakins
9. Not Providing Handbook Interpretation Training
Similar to other documents that reference policies and law, individual interpretation of the language of the employee handbook often leads to ever-evolving best practices. Biannual or annual meetings to align decision-makers to newly-enacted laws, as well as new organizational policies, should bridge the gap between the employee handbook and organizational best practices. - Erald Minga, Kellogg School of Management
10. Overly Broad Social Media Policies
Some employers include a “catch-all” social media policy in employee handbooks using vague or broad language. A few years ago, General Motors, Target and Costco were all called out by the NLRB for broad social media policies, which could be interpreted as prohibiting employee rights. Instead, employers should adopt specific social media policies rather than impose across-the-board prohibitions. - John Feldmann, Insperity
