The behavior of employees will make or break a company. Unmotivated staff can reduce your operational efficiency and increase overall operating costs. Employment law claims related to sexual harassment or ageism could cost your company tens of thousands of dollars if the complaint goes to court.
Your employee handbook helps protect your company by establishing rules, creating a disciplinary structure and clarifying expectations. Employees can refer to your handbook to make decisions about appropriate conduct or how to resolve an issue on the job.
If you created your employee handbook years ago, it may be time for an update. The handbook won’t do much to protect your company if it includes out-of-date information or doesn’t address modern issues.
Employment laws constantly change
Rules about workplace conduct and employer responsibilities change as industry and society evolve. If your company does not frequently review and update employee handbooks to include current legal information, you may provide inaccurate information or possibly even violate the rights of workers.
Even the interpretation of workplace rules changes over time. Dress code standards that were once common are now considered discriminatory and could give workers grounds to bring a claim against your business.
Employee risks change as society changes
Twenty years ago, employers had no reason to worry about what their workers did on the internet. These days, someone who lists you as an employer in their social media profile has essentially become an unpaid ambassador for the brand. The things they do and say online can do real damage to your company, so you need to have a social media policy.
As state and federal laws about digital life change, you may need to revisit these policies and update them to remain compliant.
Your business might change, too
Maybe you were once a small-scale employer with a team comprised almost entirely of family members and former co-workers. Now, the company has grown so big that you have to hire people you have never worked with previously. Your company may need to add new policies and change existing rules as it grows and adds more workers or develops into a new area of operations.
Routinely reviewing your contracts and handbooks can help you avoid employment law claims that could hurt your reputation or finances.