Employee handbooks and other documents

[Wildcat93]

Those of you that work for small owners:

Has ownership provided an employee handbook? Any other documentation that includes policies, training, ect.?

Please share. Thanks.

[Gina6k]

I've created ours on the fly, since I was here when the place was still a dirt lot. I've thrown everything including the kitchen sink into it. Good luck creating yours!

[MusicCity Gal]

Hey Wildcat!!

We had one and year ago I completely revamped it to include cell phone and computer policies. It is pretty good! It also covers safety policies, dress code, vacation, personal time, holiday pay, workers comp, salary / hourly pay, etc etc.

[Wildcat93]

I've been reading up on the subject of employee handbooks, and it's got me walking on eggshells. Careful what you say, careful what you don't say, you need to cover this, that, and the other thing, but DON"T cover this, ect.. I'm an engineer, not a lawyer!

I found a pretty good template I can build on, and edit. Do you have any other documentation that wouldn't be in the handbook? Like everyday stuff you need to do your job, i.e. how to close the day on the management software, ect.? Or do you leave that info up to training? Hell, I'm probably just over examining it.

I want some good help that I properly train. I prefer not to be a revolving door with employees.

[MusicCity Gal]

I've been reading up on the subject of employee handbooks, and it's got me walking on eggshells. Careful what you say, careful what you don't say, you need to cover this, that, and the other thing, but DON"T cover this, ect.. I'm an engineer, not a lawyer!

I found a pretty good template I can build on, and edit. Do you have any other documentation that wouldn't be in the handbook? Like everyday stuff you need to do your job, i.e. how to close the day on the management software, ect.? Or do you leave that info up to training? Hell, I'm probably just over examining it.

I want some good help that I properly train. I prefer not to be a revolving door with employees.

We actually have an employee handbook and then we have a separate training manual. Our training manual covers close of day procedures, maintenance check lists, conversions, customer service, collections, Lien Procedures (as per our state laws) etc.

An employee handbook is to put your policies in place for work performance. If you fire an employee for talking on their cell phone too much, and they file unemployment, and you did not have a policy in place regarding personal cell phone use, then that employee may receive the benefits. (for example) We actually had this happen at our other facility!! That is why we added it! The template for this that you have found will probably work just fine with your tweaking!!

We came up with our Training Manual as time permitted and as we created procedures.

[Wildcat93]

Gina, MusicCity Gal - thanks thats what I was looking for.

[finallyfoundit]

No - we're so small (I'm the only employee) I don't believe we've ever had the need to have one. It's always been just the one on-site Manager, that's it. Just got a daily operations lay-out of what to do from the prior "Manager", (which now that I've been here a while I've found-out most of it was 'fudged' and/or not really done like it looked like in print! LOL)................

[Gina6k]

Like MCG, we have a "Procedure Manual" that details what items to address to open & close the computer systems, office etc. How to handle onsite accidents and such, how to NOT deal with the media etc. Our employee manual is thankfully still very small. Don't over think it Wildcat, just cover the bare basics and add to it as necessary.

Most items you spell out in an employee agreement would be part of your employee handbook, so that's a good starting place for the handbook.

The SSA has an Emergency Preparedness Handbook that's chock full of info, it runs about $100. We have one and it's good to have handy just in case.

[QuickTrip]

Understand It's An Old Post...but...as a person who values structure and policy, I believe that the Employee Training Manual and Handbook are in the top 5 of the most important elements of any business.

[KrisinCali]

This management company has one. The last company I worked for had an old, outdated one (no tattoos and stuff like that) that I updated for the current century.

[seanESM5980]

We have written an operations manual and many policies and procedures for our employees. The policies and procedures are helpful as a resource when dealing with unique situations such as the death of a tenant or auction processes.

[lady5563]

Those of you that work for small owners:

Has ownership provided an employee handbook? Any other documentation that includes policies, training, ect.?

Please share. Thanks.

YES!
We are privately owned.
We do have policies and procedures that we must follow and we do have a handbook and specific forms to use.

[PeterL]

Hi All,

Does anyone have an operations manual they could share or have suggestions of a boiler plate manual one could buy online? My main on site manager and I just have an agreement on how things should be done but if they ever left I'd be in a pickle because I havent written any of these things down. So we really need to memorialize things with a manual.

BTW we have a small, urban location facility, 30k sf and we run Storedge.

Thanks

[MamaDuke]

Hi All,

Does anyone have an operations manual they could share or have suggestions of a boiler plate manual one could buy online? My main on site manager and I just have an agreement on how things should be done but if they ever left I'd be in a pickle because I havent written any of these things down. So we really need to memorialize things with a manual.

BTW we have a small, urban location facility, 30k sf and we run Storedge.

Thanks

Skilcheck Services offers a manual for sale that you can then customize for your needs. It's very thorough and was written by Carol Krendl, who has been in the industry for over 30 years now, with the assistance of attorneys. http://www.skilcheck.com