9 Important Elements to Include in Your Employee Handbook

 An employee handbook is a critical document for setting clear expectations for new employees, providing policies for all employees to follow, and making it easier for you know how to deal with problems with your employees when they arise.

Among other things, your employee handbook should cover everything from dress code and vacation days to your code of conduct and nondiscrimination policies.

Additionally, it should set the tone for what it's like to work at your company -- your employee handbook isn't just a list of "what not to do". It's also a chance to express your company mission statement, and workplace culture.

For instance, maybe you want to allow for casual dress Friday's, to provide your employees the opportunity to feel more comfortable before the weekend. This is an exciting employee benefit, and one you should clearly outline.

Here, we'll cover the nine elements you must include in your employee handbook in an employee handbook template, and provide a sample employee handbook for further inspiration.

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Employee Handbook Template

To know what to include in your employee handbook, take a look at our template.

Employee Handbook for [Company Name]

Introduction to company & values.

Here, you'll want to describe your company's history, including when you were founded, by whom, and why. Additionally, you'll want to briefly include your company mission statement, and add some insight into your company culture. What do you prioritize in the workplace? Autonomy, continuous education? Include that here. Essentially, give your new employee the elevator speech of why your company matters, and why they should be excited to be apart of it.

Code of conduct

In this section, you need to give your employees a general overview of information regarding ethics and compliance. Ultimately, a code of conduct allows you to emphasize your company's values, and the desired behavior you wish to foster in your leaders and employees. These rules can allow you to fairly regulate and assess an individual's behavior.

You'll want to include as many specific details as possible -- for instance, let employees know your definition of excessive tardiness, and how tardiness will be disciplined. Alternatively, you might include specific dress code requirements in this section.

Additionally, your code of conduct section will be a reference point for employees when they're dealing with difficult ethical dilemmas in their day-to-day. It's a section that tells them what your company values and considers right from wrong, along with resources for employees when they encounter ethical predicaments.

Equal employment and nondiscrimination policy

The U.S. Department of Labor requires many businesses to include an equal employment and nondiscrimination policy in their employee handbook. Plus, you want each employee to know that discrimination or harassment of any kind won't be tolerated in your workplace. Even just one instance of discrimination can create toxicity for an entire company's culture.

Computers and technology policy

You'll need to make clear what your employees can and can't do with the technology you provide them. Among other things, let employees know whether you have the right to see emails they send on company computers, whether you expect them to avoid social media while on their work computer, and how much privacy they should expect while using company property.

Additionally, you'll want to inform your employees whether certain actions on company technology are fireable offenses.