How to Navigate the Handbook Policy Lifecycle

Author: Brightmine Editorial Team

A company's employee handbook (or collection of individual employee policies) is a critical resource that serves many important purposes: it promotes fairness and consistency across the organization, reinforces the company's culture, informs employees and supervisors of their rights and responsibilities and, critically, demonstrates compliance with numerous employment laws and regulations.

Yet a handbook is only effective if it is up to date. Consider it a "living" document that is continuously updated to reflect changes in law and evolving workplace trends. If policies are missing or out of date, this could not only damage employee morale and engagement, but also increase the risk of liability and litigation. For instance, a personal appearance and grooming policy that includes gender stereotypes may reflect poorly on an organization.

When done correctly, managing the policy lifecycle - from creation and distribution to regular updates and maintenance - can help prevent and defend against employee lawsuits, keep the handbook relevant to employees and bolster an employer's brand and reputation.

With that in mind, here are six steps to succeed at managing the handbook policy lifecycle: