By Siesta-friendly
Want to make your life as an employer easier? Set your company policies and codes of conduct in an employment manual. And feel the reins tighten where it’s been otherwise lax to the detriment of your business. Show you’re running a professional business, show you mean business; avoid repetitive inimical behavior, avoid repeating yourself; identify responsibility, identify liability; let your guidelines govern, don’t be governed by your employees’ discretion.
How to begin? It’s best to start with a foreword (indicating the manual’s aim and scope, disclaimers and other notices) then follow this with your company’s history, profile and vision and mission statements (to inform employees of your line of business, your business purpose, what you’ve been through and where you intend to go).
Next, provide a Definition of Terms to define crucial terms like “employee” and “compensation” and other company terms.
You may wish to start with how employment begins. So begin discussing the procedures for recruiting and hiring. Then discuss the different status of employment – contractual, probationary, and regular. Might as well discuss employment records here – what they contain, when they are updated and who will have custody of and access to them.
Now that the preliminaries are settled, discuss the work schedule (including breaks). Define what constitutes absence and tardiness, overtime and undertime, leaves (vacation, sick, maternity, emergency, etc.) and how they are taken and computed. Don’t forget to describe how attendance is monitored (if it’s by bundy clock or otherwise).
Next could be a good place to tackle the compensation and company benefits. When and how are salaries given? What are the legally-mandated pays? How about holiday pays? Separation pays? What are the salary deductibles? How are increases and bonuses given? What about other benefits like health, accident, dental insurance, pensions, stock options, and the like? And who are eligible to avail of those? You might also want to include training and development programs, if any.
Then, it may be time to talk about employee movements or status changes. How does employment get regularized? How can one be subject of a transfer or promotion? When and how are performance evaluations made? This is also where you might want to discuss how one resigns or is terminated.
Afterwards you can go into categorized areas involving conduct/behavior you would like to regulate (like the ones listed below). Prior to each category you might want to begin with a statement or 2 about how the company regards the conduct/behavior then discuss the company policy regarding the same.
a) Attendance (including punctuality, filing of forms, AWOL, engaging in personal business, etc.)
b) Appearance (including dress codes, hygiene, etc.)
c) Cleanliness of workplace (including disorderliness, waste prevention and energy saving)
d) Use of Company Equipment and Facilities and other Property (including intellectual property)
e) Use of Telecommunications equipment/facilities (for business and personal use)
f) Use of Other Property (co-employee’s, client’s or visitor’s)
g) Compliance with Company Rules and Superior’s Instructions
h) Behavior towards Work (including inefficiency, negligence, poor work quality, plus loitering, slacking off, disrupting work, illegal work stoppage)
i) Behavior towards Co-Employees, Clients and other Visitors (including disrespect, discourtesy)
j) Expenses, Advances and Reimbursements
k) Security (of people and property), including company and personal privacy rights, plus Confidentiality of Records, Communications, etc.
l) Safety (of people, company premises, building premises)
m) Health issues (including actions to take in case of injury, failure to report injury or contagious disease, etc.)
n) Ethical Standards (what are expected of employees when faced with ethical issues)
o) Dishonesty (including falsification, misrepresentation, malversation)
p) Abuse of position or discretion
q) Harassment (including profanity, threats, intimidation, coercion)
r) Sexual Harassment (as defined by law, The Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 or R.A. 7877)
s) Indecency and Immorality
t) Different types of Misconduct (including violence)
u) Criminal Behavior (including assault, theft, etc.)
v) Smoking, Possession and use of Alcohol, Drugs, and other Dangerous Substances
w) Solicitations and Gifts (including bribes, kickbacks)
x) Conflict of Interest (including moonlighting)
y) Complaints (scope, procedure and actions to be taken)
z) Employee Suggestions (procedure and actions to be taken)
You are, of course, free to add or delete as much as you want in accordance with your desired policies. Remember though that while you are trying to protect your company’s interest, you should also be mindful of employee rights. You would want to avoid labor problems so be as specific as possible. Avoid ambiguity.
It is important to keep updated on relevant legislation so your manual will always reflect policies required by law (like those on health and safety) and will always be consistent with prevailing law. Of course, as the manual is potentially the basis of any cause of action, it is highly advisable to seek legal advice during its preparation.
After laying down your polices, you may then begin citing specific violations and their corresponding penalties. First, define the available disciplinary actions (like warning, suspension, dismissal). Next, make a table listing each violation on the left and the corresponding disciplinary action on the right. The disciplinary action may vary depending on whether it’s the 1st, 2nd offense and so on (unless the violation is so grave as to warrant immediate dismissal).
For easy reference, it might be good to attach (in an Annex) samples of the different forms discussed in your manual.
Finally, prepare an Acknowledgment Receipt and make each employee acknowledge they have received, read and understood it.
With your polices set in place, you’re practically on autopilot now that you’re on the manual.
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