Employee handbooks play an important role in the day-to-day operation of your business. They should contain the company’s operating procedures and policies that apprise employees of what is expected of them, as well as employees’ rights. But an outdated hand-book can create havoc and hurt the business financially. According to one source, small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S. face a 12% chance of being hit with an employment lawsuit.

According to Bertrand Spunberg, practice leader for Executive Risks at Hiscox USA, “Prevention is the best defense against law-suits.” “Simple preventative and mitigation measures such as having written hiring procedures, an up-to-date employee handbook and proper training for employees on workplace discrimination and harassment are essential to minimizing risk and protecting your business.”

Having a complete employee handbook and making sure it stays up-to-date is crucial to running a successful business. Some court decisions have made a company’s handbook something more than a staid policy. These days, employees are beginning to use the hand-book as a tool in litigation; a carefully crafted handbook has become a way for the employer to protect the company.

A well-written handbook serves as a compliance document to protect the rights and obligations for employees and also protects your business in case of any labor disputes. If you include information about those rights and obligations and have the employees sign off that they received it, it will help protect your business in case of disputes.

As laws change, your handbook policies may also need updating. Frequent updates keep your employee manual/handbook compliant and help you avoid potential problems.

What Employee Engagement Can Do for Productivity & Revenue

Engaged employees lead to:

• Higher service
• Higher customer satisfaction
• Higher profit levels
• Fewer sick leave days taken
• Higher shareholder returns
• 14% lower turnover when company implements regular employee feedback

“Companies with engaged employees outperform those without by 202%”. – Dale CarnegieDale Carnegie

“Only about 25% of business leaders have an employee engagement strategy. – Dale Carnegie

Effective Practices to Develop and Sus-tain Employee Engagement

• Organization leaders are committed to making it a great place to work.
• Leaders make sure employees understand how they fit in the company’s future plans.
• Leaders value their employees as their most important resource
• Employees are provided the necessary tools & equipment to do their jobs well.
• Employees are given the authority to accomplish their jobs.
• Employees have freedom to make work decisions.

(Source available at www.shrm.org for members only)

Emerging Trends

• Repetitive tasks lead to employee disengagement.
• An organization that focuses on its employees’ happiness & satisfaction gains loyal employees.
• A company can foster a meaningful work experience by creating a culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute.

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