An employee handbook, also called a staff handbook or employee manual, is a company document that explains the business history, values, policies and mission. It shows what the company expects from its team and what the team can expect in return. Our customizable employee handbook template gives you a ready structure to start from, so you do not have to write one from scratch. Treat it as a base, make it your own, and follow the step-by-step guide below to finish your draft.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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Employers are not required to provide employee handbooks, but it’s highly encouraged to have one. No matter if you have a big company or a small business, the handbook will set the mood for your workplace and provide successful communication between all organization members. The main benefits of using a staff handbook are the following.
The handbook is a legal human resources document, and the policies defined there are subject to state laws. Outlining the business policies is important not only for creating a good company culture and quality management process but also to protect your business.
Employee manuals should obligatorily describe harassment and discrimination policies and outline an at-will employment clause, explaining that employees are free to resign at any time. All new hires should be required to sign the acknowledgment form, proving that they have read the handbook and are aware of consequences should something go wrong.
Employee handbooks are good mediators between employers and employees. The information in the handbook gives new hires an understanding of every job-related aspect. Therefore, they can share the company’s vision and work effectively.
Staff manuals serve as a welcome for new employees and quickly fill them in on the company’s story and goals. The handbook helps a new hire feel less nervous on the first day and become part of the team right away. All in all, an employee handbook is a great foundation for successful communication between all company members.
An employee handbook is a nice means to convey employment expectations and employee benefits. It should clearly outline what the employees can expect in terms of job procedures, paid days off, vacation, overtime compensation, work-at-home, rest breaks hours, bereavement leave, and sick-leave policies.
You need to describe performance reviews and promotion conditions and how to reach the highest performance at work. The manual should always contain information about such benefits as health insurance, family medical leave policy, and overtime compensation policy. The manual can help explain to the new employees such unpleasant topics as dress code and code of conduct, as well as drug and alcohol policies.
A strong employee handbook is always understandable. It’s fully personalized and reflects the workplace unique culture. That is why the handbook should start from the beginning and describe the company’s history and mission.
A staff handbook is both an introduction for hiring employees and a reminder for the employees who have already worked in the company for a long period of time. It unites everyone within an inner circle, which is an important part of the workplace culture you should strive to create.
While there are no regulations on how the employee handbook should be structured and what information is necessary to include in it, you are still expected to cover some important sections, such as:
It isn’t easy to imagine the company’s description without mentioning its history. It’s crucial to let your new employees know how your company has been created, everything it’s been through so far, and how it has reached the current point. If the company is quite popular, everyone may know this information. However, a big part of history can still be hidden, and your new employees would be happy to see what’s behind the curtain. Besides, it creates an inner circle and unites everyone.
Like the company’s history, its values and vision are also important to mention. Your new employees should know where your company is moving to and what principles it is governed by. Try not to be too general, naming such popular variants as “integrity” or “excellence,” but rather determine what you really value in your employees, giving an example to each stated value.
The next step is to describe how your policies reflect your values. Here, you need to include information related to management structure, code of conduct, anti-harassment and non-discrimination policies, time off policies, including paid time off, holidays, vacation, and sick-leaves.
In the information age, it’s crucial to define social media, mobile, and internet usage policies and confidentiality criteria. You should also identify the jury duty policy and disciplinary proceedings.
Your hiring employees need to know all about working hours and job salaries. One of the important things to mention is whether there are possibilities for promotion and, if yes, what are the conditions and requirements. Make sure to include job benefits the employees will get, including health insurance and retirement plans. These things will serve as an additional motivation for the high performance of the employees.
It would be nice (and in some companies crucial) to outline the office rules and expected workplace behavior. The new hires should know how different departments interact and what areas can be restricted for them to enter. You need to indicate the security requirements and safety tips. Many companies also define equipment and resources the hiring employees can take advantage of. It’s never redundant to clarify lunch time rules.
The handbook should clearly indicate that any of its statements do not create a contract but provides general guidelines for employees. Therefore, you should not include any specific steps on how to manage this or that situation. Also, employee handbooks should contain disclaimers about possible policy changes and how they will be informed.
Most employee handbooks cover the sections above. What sets yours apart is your own style and the things that make your company different. A handbook can be very simple or highly detailed, so choose the format that fits your team and keep it true to your core values and mission statement. Three habits make the biggest difference.
Not knowing clearly who you are and what you do will make your handbook look faceless and, as a result, boring and useless. You need to be fully aware of your mission to communicate a company culture successfully. Show off your unique brand. Believe in what you do and what you strive for. It will inspire your employees to support your values and expectations.
To be really useful, your employee handbook should be understandable and engaging. Long texts with convoluted jargon and no visuals will make it boring to read. That’s why you should consider using pictures and graphics along with some anecdotes and practical examples. Such a tone will draw your new employees’ attention and help them feel less stressed on their first day at work.
While you are encouraged to approach the task creatively, do not forget that an employee handbook is still a document, and you are required to include certain company policies and requirements. They are required to protect the employer’s interest and comply with state laws.
When preparing your employee handbook, you can search popular companies’ handbooks and use them as inspiration. For example, Netflix’s Employee Culture Guide is quite simple but clearly outlines all aspects of its culture.
Another great example is a handbook of the Valve video game developer company. Its handbook for new hires will be interesting to read even for a mere stranger. The handbook includes everything from illustrated history to anecdotes and jokes, and even a glossary of code words.
If your company is too serious for such humorous content, take the Ford Code of Conduct Handbook as an example. It combines all the corporate policies and directives, but its structure makes it still easy-to-understand and interesting to read.
Tip: Ask a few current employees to read your draft before you share it. They will quickly show you any line that is unclear.
Employee handbooks can be long and include a large volume of information. Our customizable employee handbook template is aimed at making the task as easy as possible for you. Please do not use the bare template as a ready manual. Adapt it to your company and take the writing process one step at a time. The following steps will help you along the way.
Start with a plan. List the sections you want to cover before you begin writing. The list helps you structure the information and makes sure nothing important is missed. It also works as a table of contents, so you are ready to write the manual.
Next, personalize the information and decide on the design. You can add images, illustrations, graphics and short anecdotes where they fit. Look at a few good employee handbook examples and templates for inspiration. Make your handbook look interesting and unique, and do not limit yourself to a bare template.
Many companies underestimate the introduction section of the handbook. But a well-structured document always has an introduction, main body, and conclusion. You can use a welcome for new hires as an introduction. You can also begin the handbook with your company’s story and mission. Whatever you choose, the introduction section has to be captivating.
The main part of all employee handbooks is related to company policies, procedures, and requirements. This part can be divided into several sections, covering different information.
One section may cover everything related to the organization process and rules, including non-disclosure, code of conduct, dress code, working hours, jury duty policies, lunch hours, and disciplinary issues. This section can also outline the security requirements, safety tips, social media policy, and internet usage regulations. You should also include an at-will employment clause, explaining the voluntary termination of employment by employees.
Another section should be devoted to employee benefits, including insurance and vacation policies, paid days off, performance reviews, and promotion conditions. Additionally, it can contain sick-leave and bereavement leave statement.
Certain policies must be included in any employee handbook, such as family health leave policies, non-discrimination, non-harassment, and different compensation policies. You have to check local requirements every time you write, review, or change the handbook. Your employment lawyer should review the handbook and make sure it complies with all necessary regulations.
Your new employees must sign the acknowledgment form, proving that they have read the employee handbook and understand the company policies. Once signed, a copy of their signature should be saved. If the employee refuses to sign the form, you should request a written refusal to protect your company’s interest.
Save your draft often and keep older versions, so you can compare changes later.
Remember that nobody can create your employee handbook better than you. It’s that type of documentation that requires your personal contribution. Use the templates wisely, and do not create the employee handbook only for the record.
When you have your manual ready, do not hand it over to the employees without saying a word. Try to instruct them and be open to every question they might have. It is important to periodically review the handbook, improving this or that statement according to laws or work changes.
Yes, you do. The employee handbook is a legal human resources document regulating the company’s policies and procedures. It usually requires a lot of time and effort to be created, and if the employees do not read it, the document becomes useless. Additionally, your signature marks that you have received the handbook and are familiarized with its terms. If you refuse to sign the handbook’s acknowledgment form, your employer may request you to give a written refusal to protect the company’s interest.
An employee handbook may seem unnecessary when you have a small business, but that is a common misconception. Recording core values and policies is useful even for a startup.
The most important thing for a small business is shaping its culture and way of development. The handbook helps you present the overall idea of your business to your employees, even if you are hiring only one of them. It can also become a guide and a source of motivation as the startup grows, so it is worth considering.
The best indicator of a successful business is its consistent and continuous development. Time changes and every company must catch up, especially in their field of activity.
As a general rule, you should review and update your employee manual once a year. However, there is no limitation, and you can update it as soon as your company faces changes. Note that you have to notify your employees after each change in the handbook and request them to sign the acknowledgment form again.
An employee handbook is not the same as an employment agreement. The employment agreement is a specific contract for just one individual, while employee handbooks usually come as supplements to employment contracts. The main differences between these documents are:
General information, not legal or tax advice.
