Employee Handbook

C.Tompkins, post: 329465, member: 975 wrote: I am looking to create an employee handbook, hopefully not completely from scratch, but was wondering if anyone out there had any suggestions for material that should be included. I am finding it absolutely necessary for some of the green new hires I have, all of two actually, so that we are all on the same page and they know exactly what I expect almost immediately. I have seen and signed some pretty extravagant manuals, but would like to keep this simple with some meat on the bone for whomever is hired.

Any help would be appreciated.

Your attorney should be able to assist with this... they are going to review it for you anyway, so if you start with something they are familiar with it should keep any review fees minimal.

C.Tompkins, post: 329465, member: 975 wrote: I am looking to create an employee handbook.....

There is the type that outlines the benefits, etc. Then there is the type that outlines the way you want the surveying done. I have seen a number of the former. While every DOT in the land has one of the former, I have never seen a good example suitable for private companies.

Jim is right about having an attorney review it. We call our handbook an employee orientation guide. It provides a lot of general info and points to other more specific guides (Operating procedures, Network and Computer Guides, Benefits, etc.). IF it's too long or dry people won't read it. If it's too vague you'll have to answer a lot of questions and you run the risk of unequal treatment (which can be a source of liability) The headings and some text from our orientation guide (the orientation guide is 18 pages long) are shown below - some sections are pages long and some are just a sentence or two. This will at least give you some things to consider addressing.

Getting Around COMPANY NAME
Version 2.4

Address:
Calendars:
Google
General ‰ÛÒ this is where non-project company related data goes ‰ÛÒ time off, etc.
Projects ‰ÛÒ this is where all project deadlines, travel itineraries, etc. go. Deadlines should include notes about what is due and to whom. Travel info should include airline names, flight #s, flight times, confirmation #s, lodging plans, local contact #s ‰ÛÒ everything you need to print out, get on the plane, and get to where you are staying.
Outlook Calendar ‰ÛÒ this is where you keep your personal items ‰ÛÒ be sure to check the private box on appointments that you want to keep private. Your calendar will be shared (no info other than ‰ÛÏbusy‰Û for those items checked as private) so that others may see when you are available. If your calendar shows that you are not busy, you may be scheduled for a work task in that time slot.

Field Hours:
As required and directed by your supervisor.

Standard Office Hours:
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM M-F

Work Week:
Monday AM to Sunday PM

In/Out Board:

Mission:

Office Visitors:

Lunch:

Alternate Schedules:

Overtime:

Pay:

Expenses:

Holidays:
Full time permanent employees may be paid for holidays - See the Employee Benefits Document for details.

Leave:

Scheduling Leave - Vacation, Appointments, etc.:

Communication:

Supervisors:

Work Assignments:

Keys:

Shop Access:

Parking:

Safety:
Environment
Equipment
Your Role
Training
Teams

Injuries:

Operating Procedures:
Detailed operating procedures for a number of activities can be found in:
O:XXX Operating Procedures

Office Phone:

E-Mail:

File Naming:

FTP:

Local Data Storage:
Nope, not for work files. Do not store data on your local hard drive (feel free to store a backup there but not the working files). We don‰Ûªt pay for work stored on local drives. There is no upside to multiple copies of data ‰ÛÒ don‰Ûªt do it.

Network:

Software:

Personal Equipment:
As a professional you are expected to own and maintain certain equipment‰Û?.

Company Equipment

Vehicles:

Travel:

Professional Development (PD) /Training:

Smoking:

Kitchen:

Social Media:
The activities that occur at our office and on our jobs can be viewed positively or negatively depending on who is viewing it and what their objectives are. Furthermore, some of our clients put restrictions on what we can and cannot say about their projects. Our insurance providers don‰Ûªt know the context of the photos and may use them as the basis of increasing or cancelling our insurance. Our clients may not understand what was taking place and may consider the content offensive, off task, or counter to their mission.

No photos, no videos, and no tales of glory or misery can be associated with COMPANY NAME. If you mention that you work for COMPANY NAME or anyone mentions it in comments or there is anything in the photos that ties them or you to COMPANY NAME, then you can‰Ûªt share the activities that occur during the work day or related images on social media.

Thanks Mr. AK for all of the information.

I worked at a shop that had a alcoholic beverage policy outlined in the handbook. On the job drinking only at lunch and only in restaurants, limit one drink for regular duty, two if with clients.

I thought that was reasonable...

Believe it or not, we had to add into our handbook the phrase "In order to remain an employee and be paid, the employee must come to the office and perform the duties for which he/she was hired to perform." Had an employee not come in due to weather and take us to court to get back pay and almost won since we did not have any wording that stated you needed to come and work to get paid.

C.Tompkins, post: 329489, member: 975 wrote: Thanks Mr. AK for all of the information.

Might also mention about drug use. Big firms seem to have testing policies. The smaller guys seem to have a "what you do on your own time....." type policy.

Since it appears Mr. AK is "strapped up" might also have a firearms policy.

The first surveying/engineering place I worked at had no mention about it one way or the other. After having a bear jump out at us one day, I came back in asking what the rule was about packing in the field. No one could really answer but given the environments we often worked in, I was basically told to go ahead if I felt the need.

The last guy I worked for didn't have such a policy either. But he had sent us out to 2 different of the worst parts of a ghetto I could have imagined - downtown Beirut without body armor and a squad of teammates to back me up comes to mind. Once he realized I wasn't joking, he offered me his own personal hand-gun to carry.

Just thought throw those out for the list.
E.

Terry_Jr, post: 329521, member: 5661 wrote: Believe it or not, we had to add into our handbook the phrase "In order to remain an employee and be paid, the employee must come to the office and perform the duties for which he/she was hired to perform." Had an employee not come in due to weather and take us to court to get back pay and almost won since we did not have any wording that stated you needed to come and work to get paid.

Wow - that is really a sad commentary on today's society...

BigE,

Thanks. I had not considered that. If the jobs are for private companies or citizens then I usually do pack. School jobs don't allow it of course and we keep it on the down low for every job.

I don't partake of the mary jane, but I am also of the opinion what a man does on his own time is his own business. Here is the catch. Too many clients now have drug policies in place and a couple require testing in order to remain badged. So if we are the subs, which most of us are, then it is out of our hands. So I have to have a drug policy.

Again thanks.

C.Tompkins, post: 329528, member: 975 wrote: I don't partake of the mary jane, but I am also of the opinion what a man does on his own time is his own business. Here is the catch. ...

Check on your various insurer's attitudes about that, too.

C.Tompkins, post: 329528, member: 975 wrote: BigE,

Thanks. I had not considered that. If the jobs are for private companies or citizens then I usually do pack. School jobs don't allow it of course and we keep it on the down low for every job.

I don't partake of the mary jane, but I am also of the opinion what a man does on his own time is his own business. Here is the catch. Too many clients now have drug policies in place and a couple require testing in order to remain badged. So if we are the subs, which most of us are, then it is out of our hands. So I have to have a drug policy.

Again thanks.

Ironically, or coincidentally, what made me think of the firearm thing was a dream I had last night about a psycho bear coming after me and a couple friends. I kept reaching for my weapon that wasn't there.

I would venture to say that your drug stance is very typical if not the norm. Personally, I am almost 100% against testing policies and I could easily pass one going as far back in time as possible. To me it seems more like I'm not being trusted before I've had the chance to give you a reason to not trust me.

In looking at Mr. AK's template again, you might consider a section on "personal cell phone use". I wouldn't allow it on company time.

If you have office staff you may consider a "tele-commute" section.

Just some more thoughts.
I think AK gave you a good start. Just start with filling in the blanks.
E.

That's funny...cuz I had dreams all night last night about those damned Gaboon Vipers they just found in Milledgeville, GA. Gaboon Viper.

As far as cell phone use is concerned, I make it a point to let my new hires know I am not hiring them to be professional cell phone typist. Especially the newer generation who seem to have had connective surgery to the dang things.

Oh gees C.T.!! I just noticed your are in Euharlee! That's right up the road!
No doubt you also know that big hairy guy [surveyor] who loves to wear his thong while surveying in the briars.
Is he still around? He used to stop by for a beer now and then but I haven't heard from him in probably 5 years now.
E.

Don't hear from hardly anybody these days. Too dang busy to really even see my own family let alone others. I think I know of whom you speak, but honestly I haven't heard the "Thong" story yet. DB?

Email me and we will hook for lunch one day when I am back in town.

C.Tompkins, post: 329561, member: 975 wrote: Don't hear from hardly anybody these days. Too dang busy to really even see my own family let alone others. I think I know of whom you speak, but honestly I haven't heard the "Thong" story yet. DB?

Email me and we will hook for lunch one day when I am back in town.

Private message sent!

BigE, post: 329560, member: 435 wrote: Oh gees C.T.!! I just noticed your are in Euharlee! That's right up the road!
No doubt you also know that big hairy guy [surveyor] who loves to wear his thong while surveying in the briars.
Is he still around? He used to stop by for a beer now and then but I haven't heard from him in probably 5 years now.
E.

I hope you are referring to this type of thong!