Developing and improving
your employee handbook

Clear-cut policies

An employee handbook sets the tone for your organisation by outlining your policies and expectations. This will prevent debate about internal procedures and about what constitutes appropriate or inappropriate behaviour as well as creating uniformity in how issues are addressed. An employee handbook serves as a quick reference to company policy for employees and new hires. Read on and find out how a robust employee handbook can add value to your organisation. We will tell you how to develop an effective handbook and what the benefits are.

Personeelshandboek bij Acces World

What our clients say

"Our employee handbook essentially lies at the base of everything. We did have one before, but it was very concise. Because it was so short, we got a lot of questions that had to be answered on a case-by-case basis. Moore DRV’s HR professionals went over and added to our handbook and they performed a legal review. Thanks to them, we now have a reliable document that covers all the basics and more. We get fewer questions, and when we do get them, all we have to do is refer to the employee handbook. This not only saves time, but – more importantly – creates clarity in the organisation."

Derk-Jan van Mackelenbergh - HR Coordinator at Access World

What is an employee handbook?

An employee handbook sets out your organisation’s internal policies, e.g. on staff safety, occupational health and inappropriate behaviour. The handbook also addresses other aspects, such as the company car scheme, an overview of leave entitlements and other rules and arrangements that are in effect. It outlines your pay and benefits package and the rules by which you, as the employer, and all your employees are governed. By including these in the employee handbook rather than in your employment contracts, you can keep your employment contracts a lot more concise.

 

Why would an employee handbook be useful for my business?

An employee handbook is useful for any organisation with employees. It provides guidance to the employer and offers employees transparency as to their pay and benefits package. In the Netherlands, employers are expected to comply with the Dutch Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Act, meaning, for instance, that they are required to educate their employees about paid parental leave, the procedure for termination of employment and the ban on smoking in the workplace.

Benefits of an employee handbook

  • Transparency: you will have a consistent policy in place, which prevents unequal treatment as much as possible.
  • Clear expectations: employees know what is expected of them when they join your organisation.
  • Compliance with relevant laws and regulations: you can demonstrate that your employees should be aware of the rules. This will prevent discussion and/or legal consequences after incidents.
  • More legal options in a conflict situation: it will be easier to impose sanctions or let a person go for breaking the rules. This will put you in a much stronger position when dealing with a conflict in the workplace.

Want to make the right start with an employee handbook?

We can help by:

  • Reviewing your existing employee handbook. We will check whether the handbook is complete and complies with the relevant rules and regulations.
  • Developing an entirely new employee handbook.
  • Implementing the employee handbook in your organisation.

 

How do we go about developing an employee handbook?

  1. We will schedule an intake interview with one of your HR officers.
  2. We will prepare the first draft of the employee handbook.
  3. We will perform a legal review of the draft employee handbook.
  4. We will discuss the draft employee handbook with you.
  5. We will fine-tune the document by dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.
  6. We will send you the final version of the employee handbook.
  7. We will meet with the HR officer to offer suggestions for how to implement the employee handbook.

Want to find out more about an employee handbook?

For more information about organising your existing employee handbook or how we can help you create a custom employee handbook, please leave your contact details here and we will reach out to you for a no-obligation consultation.

Kim van de Kasteele LL.M.

Manager HRM
+31 6 57994648

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