It’s the first day of employee training for your store. You’ve made several employee handbooks, and you’ve thought of everything your workers need to know… right?
Or is there something that is missing?
We made a list of subjects that are often left out of employee handbooks—does your handbook pass the test?
Natural Disasters
Obviously, this one will vary from region to region, but no area in the world is safe from natural disasters. Whether this be tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, earthquakes, or other calamities, every store needs to both safety plans and employees who know the plans.
It wouldn’t hurt to review these emergency plans with employees a few times every year.
How are outside vendors/solicitations handled?
A “No Solicitors Please” sign won’t keep every solicitor out. If your employees know how to respectfully turn away solicitors, and then what to do in the case that the solicitors don’t listen, your storefront will be in good hands. This also protects your customers from being approached by solicitors.
Signature Page
Your new employee understood everything in the book… right? They read through all of the rules, regulations, and policies? In order to know that your employee has read the handbook and understands what was said, all businesses should have a page at the end of the book for the worker to sign. This will protect your business when it comes to future arguments and even lawsuits.
Parking
Chances are, you don’t want your employees’ vehicles taking up the spots close to the door that were meant for customers. Make sure to describe your parking lot and any restrictions on its use, and include where employees are invited to park their cars. Are the lots monitored? Should your employees park in a certain area?
Leaves of Absence
No employer is required to provide unpaid leave, but you may want to include this provision for valuable employees. Can they take an extended leave and be guaranteed a job upon returning? If you provide insurance for workers, can they continue their insurance coverage if they continue to pay the premium?
Did you manage to include everything we had on this list in your employee handbook? If so, good for you! If not, edit your handbook—we don’t want your future employees trying to fill in the gaps on their own.