Employee Manual Key Management Tool
In the January issue we usually thank our customers for past business and congratulate ourselves for another successful year, but in this issue I would like to share with you a topic which came up in our December managers meeting that is appropriate topic for all businesses with more than one employee and that is: the Employee Manual. Stated in other words it is a method to communicate your company’s policies, personnel benefits programs, and disciplinary rules. Without it you cannot effectively manage anything. The reason for this is that in the business environment in which we operate our businesses we are faced with entities which force us to operate within their legal framework. Workers Compensation, Workers Unemployment Insurance, OSHA, Federal Wage and Hour Administration all limit our ability to manage our employees. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that this is a bad thing, but over the years these bureaucratic agencies have made it harder and harder to manage anything your employee does and yet makes you more and more libel for their actions.
Ok Rick, what is the answer? The employee manual as stated above is how you can communicate with your employees about vital information. The Employee manual does not create a contract, rather the employer/employee relationship created is called “employment-at-will”. This means an employer can dismiss an employee or an employee can resign at any time, for any reason. You may change, amend or terminate parts of the manual and the employee is notified of such updates.
What brought this up was a discussion of use of cell phones for company business. We know that cell phones distract. If an employee is using a company cell phone and has an accident, who do you think is going to be libel for that accident?? Absolutely. You are!! Well, how do you counter this? A statement in your Employee Manual that use of a cell phone while operating a vehicle for company business is prohibited is obvious. Well, some people don’t like it and actually I don’t like it either, and I don’t own a cell phone but that is not the issue. I’m discussing the idea of managing your company or business in the environment in which we live and do our business. Most of the employee manual is boiler plate but it is necessary if you are going to protect you and your business. If you have a meeting and tell your employees that they must pull over to use their cell phones, 50% or more might swear that that was not what you said at that meeting. Having it in writing and putting it into your employee manual protects you.
It makes you clearly think about what you want to say to your people and how you want them to conduct your business. This protects you, your company, and other employees who count on your paycheck every week. Start your new year by thinking about your employee manual or lack of one and see about revising or putting one together. Your advisors, lawyer and other businessmen can help you and you will be satisfied by the results of your efforts in making your company react in the way you want it to rather than outside governmental agencies.