Write a Human Resource Manual

A human resource manual is a document detailing an organization's policies regarding employee management and the relationship between managers and employees. Taking the form of either an employee handbook or an internal document used by management, it aims to describe workplace practices, hiring and termination procedures, and other pertinent information. Because these guides are essential for communicating an organization's workplace policy and because they are often referenced in legal proceedings, they must be thorough and accurate. These steps will teach you the basics of how to write a human resource manual that is informative and comprehensive.

Steps

  1. Determine the audience of your manual.
    • If you are writing an employee handbook, focus more on day-to-day workplace operations and general employee policies. If you are writing a document for management or a general policy statement, aim to be more thorough and exact than helpful.
  2. Review all organizational policies. This includes policies regarding hiring, termination, compensation, promotions, dress code, complaint procedures, sick days, vacations, etc.
  3. Begin your guide by dividing the document into several policy categories, for example "workplace behavior," "termination," "sexual harassment," etc.[1]
  4. Write an organizational policy for each category. State the position of your organization regarding the given topic, the proper procedures for management and employees to take in each situation, and the reasons why.[2]
  5. Include a section detailing important procedures. This includes procedures for dealing with complaints or grievances, outlining specific methods employees should use to express problems with the workplace or management, etc.[3]
  6. Include a section detailing policies for exceptional circumstances. Examples include workplace emergencies, family deaths, etc.[4]
  7. Add an introduction to your manual after you have already laid out all your policies. Describe your organization's approach to human resources in general and how the policies within the manual adhere to this philosophy.
  8. Show a draft of your manual to any legal advisers and stakeholders in the organization. Solicit advice, corrections, and additions.[5]
  9. Edit your draft, publish a finished, dated version, and distribute.[6]
  10. Continue to tweak your manual as new circumstances arise and you are faced with new problems.

Tips

  • A human resource manual will be used primarily for employee management and for acclimating employees to a new workplace. In rare cases, however, you manual will be called upon in legal proceedings, so be sure that you follow all the policies and procedures outlined in the manual and that the manual itself is clear, thorough, and fair.
  • Always ask for advice when writing a human resource manual. Because the document will be shared by many people, you want to make sure that a variety of opinions and perspectives are included, as this will lead to greater satisfaction with employee policies.
  • Be as comprehensive as possible. Although you don't want to make your document unreadable in length or detail, it is always better to have guidelines for a specific problem or procedure than to leave employees wondering about what to do.

Warnings

  • Do not use emphatic terms like "always," "never," or "necessarily." You want your manual to be a loose set of guidelines rather than a strict book of rules, especially as you will be expected to act in full compliance with everything included in the manual.

Things You'll Need

  • Policies regarding employee behavior, employee management, and workplace procedures

References

  1. ↑ https://squareup.com/us/en/townsquare/how-to-write-an-employee-handbook
  2. ↑ https://www.educba.com/how-to-write-hr-policies-and-procedures/
  3. ↑ https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/06/what-to-include-in-employee-handbook.html
  4. ↑ https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/06/what-to-include-in-employee-handbook.html
  5. ↑ https://squareup.com/us/en/townsquare/how-to-write-an-employee-handbook
  6. ↑ https://www.educba.com/how-to-write-hr-policies-and-procedures/
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