Creating an Employee Handbook: Where to Start

So. You’ve decided to create an employee handbook / company culture book. Exciting! Where do you begin?

  1. What’s the purpose of this handbook?
  2. Who will see it and when will they see it?
  3. What do you want to be in it?

What’s the purpose of this handbook?

Typically, we see people using AirMason to build handbooks that they actually want people to read and adhere to. They are not 50-page documents filled with legalese. They are made to be enjoyed and get new hires up to speed in a really nice way. They are here to onboard new employees.

Who will see it and when will they see it?

Three possible answers:

  1. Potential new hires
  2. New employees
  3. Current employees

Most of the time, handbooks are given to new team members around the time that they are hired. New team members don’t know much about the company, so its important to be clear and concise.

Sometimes companies will send culture handbooks to potential hires to quickly and easily outline the company values etc. so the candidate can decide whether they believe in the values and if they’d be a good fit.

Lastly, current employees will often go back and refer to the handbook especially in their first few weeks on the job. This is why it’s important to make sure each section can be referred to (and makes sense by itself).

SEE ALSO: Employee Handbook Welcome Letter Examples

What do you want to be in it?

This is the big one. There’s a lot you can include, but try and imagine yourself on the first day of a job. What are the things you’d like to know? What would help you get ‘onboard’ with the company mission?

While there a lot of necessities to include, be sure to include some humor and fun sections to keep people engaged and excited as they go through it.

SEE ALSO: Employee Handbook Examples

How will you build it?

You can use a word processor like Microsoft Word, a slide-based tool like Powerpoint, or an online builder like our tool: AirMason.