Employee handbooks have changed dramatically over the years, evolving from coma-inducing wheezes about pencil disbursement policies and parking spaces, to no-nonsense edicts on 21st century issues like blogging, Internet use statutes and sexual harassment.
Handbooks now serve as body armor against freewheeling lawsuits, discrimination cases and job actions against companies.
“It’s as much a legal document now as it was a recruitment tool,” says Rae Pearson, owner of an Indianapolis-based human resources and staffing company. “Smart companies are revising their employee handbooks accordingly.”
Tech Adds a New Layer of Cautions
Technology – especially the Internet – is also triggering a marked change in employee handbooks, providing a new set of rules for tech- and information-savvy workers.
“We’ve found that many companies fail to regularly update their handbooks to be current with workforce expectations or legal requirements,” says Phil Gabel, president and CEO of Thompson Publishing Group. “For example, new technologies like YouTube and blogging can create real headaches for companies if they aren't addressed directly and upfront.
“Employees, particularly those who have grown up with the Internet, make a lot of assumptions about how much access and freedom they have in regard to electronic media.”
Thompson has made the task at hand easier, for a price, by offering an online Employee Handbook Builder .
Author: Brian O'Connell
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