While most businesses have an employee handbook, they as rarely as effective for the business as they should be. The key to a great handbook is getting the big parts right: policies, company culture, and presentation. The goal is for your handbook to have a significant impact on the way your company operates. A great handbook is always a dynamic document. This means that when a problem arises, you aren’t brushing off the dust of a handbook that hasn’t been touched in years. This all begins with the building blocks of an employee handbook. On this page, you will find the process of compiling your handbook broken up into three clear steps to help you navigate the confusion often associated with employee handbooks.
Sample handbooks for inspirationWe’ve curated a list of employee handbook examples that we think are interesting (for all kinds of reasons). A common theme from each of these companies is that it’s clear that they are trying to make sure their handbook reflects their culture, and is a living document. We hope that you find some inspiration.
What's great about this handbook?
22Squared did such a great job here really unpacking their culture. It’s not exactly a “policy handbook”, but don’t let that stop you from learning from a masterful example of how to put the right vibes out there.
View this media company's handbookWhat's great about this handbook?
Besides having a robust handbook, Pronto Marketing has fully integrated their handbook into their company marketing website. It communicates that their culture, policies and norms are designed to be seen and embraced.
Pronto Marketing View this marketing company's handbookWhat's great about this handbook?
Sonnedix has done a nice job personalizing their employee handbook. The message from their CEO and head of HR is personal and compelling. It’s clear they designed their handbook to be read, and they have taken care to try to communicate their values as a renewable energy company.
Sonnedix Renewables View this handbookWhat's great about this handbook?
Brinker International (a hospitality company behind many restaurants you’ve eaten at) has done a masterful job with an engaging guide on its core values. Their guide to making good decisions is particularly well done. The goal is clear: set a high bar and remind employees to engage their own values.
Brinker International View this handbookWhat's great about this handbook?
What’s nice about the Allied Moulded Products handbook is that it is completely operationalized. They have done a great job incorporating the day-to-day norms of their company. It’s got clear, tactical instructions on how work gets done at the company.
Allied Moulded Products View this manufacturing company handbookWhat's great about this handbook?
Meta has focused its “code of conduct” on the principles that should guide employees instead of very specific do’s and dont’s. Although this might not be ideal for every company, it’s inspiring.
View this tech company handbookWhat's great about this handbook?
ConvertKit is a great company and they nailed a simple, elegant handbook that unpacks some operating norms as well as their culture. They get bonus points for integrating it into their marketing site to be used as a recruiting tool.
ConvertKit View this software company's handbookWhat should be inlcuded
The building blocks for a great handbook include these items. The best handbooks blend clear, effective policies with your unique culture, mission, and vision for the company.
Introduction and core policies - Including a welcome and mission statement
Benefits policies - Time away from work and other benefits
On-the-job policies - Procedures and how your company operates
Code of conduct policies - What’s expected of your employees
State and local policies - Required policies based on where your employees work
Handbook acknowledgments - Employee signatures to confirm they’ve read the handbook
This is where you set the stage for the employee relationship. It describes a company that is committed to great work, fairness, and a mission.
Not having clearly defined policies around time away from work is a major source of friction and can be problematic for the business. Clear up any ambiguity here.
Define your company norms and practices including payroll, timekeeping, schedules, and the nuts and bolts of day-to-day operations.
This is where employee rules and expectations should go. There can be a lot of them, and this is an important part of any handbook.
Each state (and now many cities and counties) have their own specific policies that apply to any employee in those locations. Having these policies in your handbook reduces friction and can keep employers out of hot water. It’s always best to review your handbook with your trusted advisors (including your attorney) to review your final handbook.
A good mission statement will get across a purpose. A great mission statement will communicate a company’s specific values, principles, and goals as an organization. While this is key for customers to understand your company, it is essential for employees to have a strong company mission statement to build off of. A great company mission statement can serve as the foundation for growth and a way for employees to assess the values and culture of their employer. The statement should be relatively brief so that it can be remembered easily, but also comprehensive enough to include these key elements:
Pandora Jewelry
Pandora's mission – then and today – is to offer women across the world a universe of high-quality, hand-finished, modern, and genuine jewelry products at affordable prices, thereby inspiring women to express their individuality.
This statement expresses Pandora’s commitment to providing women with high-quality, accessible jewelry that inspires them to be themselves. This highlights various company values such as accessibility, inclusion, inspiration, and innovation.
Patagonia
Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.
This statement reflects Patagonia's commitment to creating high-quality outdoor gear while minimizing its environmental impact. It emphasizes the company's core values of sustainability, social responsibility, and innovation, and its goal of using its business to make a positive difference in the world.
Tesla
To accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy.
This short, yet effective mission statement reflects Tesla's mission to promote renewable energy and reduce the world's dependence on fossil fuels. It emphasizes the company's innovative spirit and its vision of a more sustainable future, and it inspires employees and customers alike to join Tesla in its mission to create a cleaner, healthier planet.
Step 3: Culture and voiceAfter you have compiled all of the content for your employee handbook, it is time to switch to a design-oriented mindset. While it may seem trivial, spending time designing your handbook is an integral piece of the process. The way content is presented does a great deal to communicate your company culture and voice to employees. For example, imagine a handbook that has no color, solely prints the policies and is stapled together sloppily. This will convey a much different message than a handbook with the same content, but that has splashes of color, creative fonts, humor, and is well-bound. Similarly to many other things in a company, presentation matters.
Take a look at the “Handbooks we Love” section for some great handbook examples! These companies took advantage of designing their handbook to open opportunities for conveying more information about the company.
