A STAFF handbook outlines the policies, procedures, and expectations for employees within a company.  It serves as a guide for employees to understand what is expected of them and what they can expect from their employer.

A staff handbook differs from a Human Resources Policies and Procedures Manual written directly to the managers.  The HR Policies and Procedures Manual helps managers implement human resources policies for the organisation. Besides giving policy statements and commitments, it gives detailed procedures for implementing each policy.

On the other hand, the staff handbook does not give detailed policy procedures; instead focuses on policy statements and how employees can be assisted to comply with such policies.  The human resources policies and procedures manual remain the document to help line managers implement the human resources policies.  A staff handbook is an essential tool for any employer, as it provides a clear and consistent way to communicate company policies and procedures to all employees.  It helps ensure legal compliance, protects against disputes and lawsuits, improves employee morale and engagement, and is an important onboarding tool for new employees.  By outlining expectations and guidelines for employees, a staff handbook can create a sense of consistency.

Surprisingly many organizations in Zimbabwe do not distinguish between these documents. Currently if you have one of the two documents you need to start working on the other one to get maximum benefits.

A staff handbook is an essential tool for any employer, as it provides a clear and consistent way to communicate company policies and procedures to all employees.

Key contents that should be included in a staff handbook are company policies and procedures, employee benefits and compensation, a code of ethics, a reference to the company code of conduct, health and safety guidelines, and employee rights and responsibilities.  By outlining these key contents in the staff handbook, employers can ensure legal compliance, consistent communication of company policies, protection against disputes and lawsuits, improved employee morale and engagement, and an effective onboarding tool for new employees.

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By clearly outlining these policies in the staff handbook, employers can create a sense of consistency and fairness in the workplace while ensuring that all employees know their rights and responsibilities.

The staff handbook should be derived from the company's HR policies and procedures. In a staff handbook, you are now converting policies and procedures written for the managers to a new format where you are writing to the employee to assist them in complying with company policies. Below is a summarised version of what you will find in an HR Policies and Procedures Manual regarding leave policies.

Policy

All employees are entitled to annual leave in accordance with the company's leave policy. Annual leave is granted to employees for rest, relaxation, and personal pursuits. Employees are entitled to 22 working days per year.

Procedure

Requesting Annual Leave: Employees must submit a request for annual leave in writing to their two weeks before the intended start date of the leave.

Approval of annual leave: Managers are responsible for approving all annual leave for employees. In approving annual leave, managers must ensure that employees get enough time off to recharge and that the absence does not disrupt work operations. Recording of annual leave: As a manager, your responsibility is to ensure a record of every employee who takes leave is available and must be recorded and approved in the company's HR system.

Leave limits

Managers must ensure the employee has enough days before authorizing annual leave. The above is a shortened version of the annual leave policy and procedure. Let me show what the same policy's contents will look like in a staff handbook.

We are pleased to inform you that as an employee of our company, you are entitled to annual leave in accordance with our company's leave policy. Annual leave is granted to employees for rest, relaxation, and personal pursuits. As per our company's policy, you are entitled to 22 working days of annual leave. If you wish to take annual leave, you must submit a request in writing to your manager at least two weeks before the intended start date of the leave.

Please submit your request through our HR system. Before applying for annual leave, ensure you have enough days. Your manager will make an effort to accommodate your request based on operational requirements. Your manager is responsible for approving all annual leave requests.

In approving your request, your manager will consider operational requirements.

The above extracts show a big difference between a staff handbook and the HR policies and procedures manual. Any company with one document combined as an HR policies and procedures manual and a staff handbook is not getting the maximum value out of this process.  The HR Policies and Procedures Manual and Staff Handbook are two separate and essential documents for any company.

The HR Policies and Procedures Manual provides a framework for consistent policy application and is written for the managers, while the staff handbook serves as a comprehensive guide for employees.

  • Nguwi is an occupational psychologist, data scientist, speaker and managing consultant at Industrial Psychology Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, a management and HR consulting firm. https://www.linkedin.com/in/memorynguwi/ Phone +263 24 248 1 946-48/ 2290 0276, cell number +263 772 356 361 or e-mail: mnguwi@ipcconsultants.com or visit ipcconsultants.com.

 
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