As organizations grow and change, their policies and Employee Handbook must change as well. Each year, organizations should plan to spend some time during Q1 reviewing their policies and making the necessary updates to their Employee Handbook.
Regardless of the size of your organization, this may feel like an overwhelming task. To help, we’ve put together the following handbook review guide. While it may not be a comprehensive list for all organizations, the steps below provide a baseline for organizations to follow when reviewing and updating their handbook:
Step 1: Schedule Time to Review
Begin by setting aside some time to review the handbook. This can usually be done by a few key players who help to manage the various policies, such as Human Resources, Finance, and members of the executive team.
The review could be done together in person, but more than likely this step will be completed asynchronously due to so many busy schedules. Therefore, when scheduling time it’s important to establish a window within which the review should be completed.
Step 2: Read Through the Policies, Noting Updates that are Needed
As each key player reviews the section(s) of the handbook and policies that apply to their department, necessary updates should be noted. While the list of updates will differ from organization to organization, some of the most common areas needing updates are:
Compensation - a new year may bring updated minimum wage requirements or overtime rules. Review these updates and ensure that your handbook reflects the most current laws.
Finance - ensure policies related to things like expense reimbursement and travel reimbursement are updated to match the organization’s current practices.
Benefits - update benefit plan options, enrollment dates, and employee/employer contributions. If your organization has made any changes to benefits such as paid time off, sick time, or wellness programs be sure to note those updates as well.
Performance - update performance evaluation timelines or any changes that may be made to the evaluation and feedback process.
Policies - Organizations often update policies related to things like remote work, code of conduct, technology and cybersecurity, emergency preparedness, and state or local policies.
Should your organization need any support with reviewing and updating any of the sections within your employee handbook, Cause Capacity can help. Reach out to learn more about our Project-Based HR Support service offerings.
Step 3: Have the Updated Handbook Reviewed
Once all necessary updates are made, it’s important to consult legal counsel for a final review. This will help to ensure that all of the updates made to the handbook are legally compliant.
Step 4: Launch with Employees
When the updated handbook is ready, it should be shared with employees. Careful consideration should be given to ensuring that updates and changes are clearly outlined for employees. This can be done via a recorded handbook walkthrough, presentation at an all staff meeting, or other method of communication that best meets your organization’s structure.
Once the updated handbook is shared with your organization, it’s important to gather updated acknowledgement signatures from all employees, confirming that they’ve reviewed the updates.
For support launching your updated handbook, contact Cause Capacity to learn more about how we can provide support and walk your organization through this process.
Annual employee handbook updates are essential to maintaining compliance and ensuring your employees are familiar with accurate organizational policies and procedures. As your organization enters the new year, be sure to schedule time to complete the review process. For support with any of the above steps, reach out to our Cause Capacity team today!
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