Set up employment policies for your business
Writing staff policies
When writing staff policies the main steps are:
- Preparing - collecting information, opinions
and examining the options. Policies are more likely to be accepted
if staff are involved in their creation. Involve unions, especially
if you have collective agreements that specify they should be
consulted, and/or existing elected employee representatives. Alternatively
set up a joint working group.
- Developing - policies should suit the specific
needs of the business.
- Implementing - inform staff and provide training
for employees.
- Reviewing - this is to check that the policy
is being used and is not damaging the business.
How should policies be communicated to staff?
Policies can be:
- displayed on noticeboards
- added to the company network or intranet
- communicated via presentations
- included in a staff handbook
- included in a collective agreement with a union
- emailed to staff
- sent as a letter to staff
Policies that affect employees' employment contracts
Take particular care when introducing policies that affect your
employees' contracts of employment. If the contract allows you to
vary terms such as hours, place of work and/or duties, then a minor
variation relating to these will generally be legal if you are reasonable
in your demands.
Where there is no express or implied right to vary the contract,
you must seek consent from your employees, otherwise they may be
entitled to sue for breach of contract or resign and claim constructive
dismissal.
Avoiding discrimination
Be careful that your policies do not unlawfully discriminate against
employees.
Introducing new policies
The following checklist should be taken into account when introducing
new policies:
- What is the purpose of the policy?
- Have you consulted with managers, workers
and their representatives?
- Has someone been given overall responsiblity
for the policy?
- How are you going to communicate the policy to all workers?
- Have you given employees enough notice about the new policy?
- Have you thought through the potential cost
of the policy?
- Does the policy change anyone's employment contract?
- How are you going to monitor and maintain the policy?
Subjects covered in this guide
 Print
This Page
Source - Business Link; Crown Copyright.
|
