Worker handbooks are a key human sources software for any small enterprise—they usually’re not only for workplace environments. In case you’re a builder or contractor managing a crew, you’re going to wish a development worker handbook to guard your enterprise, your purchasers, and your employees.
Each development firm can profit from an worker handbook as a result of it compiles important info to your group, serving to to keep away from miscommunication and confusion round office insurance policies, procedures, requirements, and extra.
If it’s worthwhile to create an worker handbook to your development firm and don’t know the place to start out, we’ve obtained your again. Comply with this detailed information to study why a handbook for the development {industry} is so vital, and the way to make your individual.
Seize your toolbelt and construct a handbook—your workers will thanks for it!
What’s a development worker handbook?
A development worker handbook is an in depth doc that outlines your organization’s insurance policies and procedures. It offers new hires with clear steering on how issues are executed and what’s anticipated of them on the job. Present workers can use a handbook as some extent of reference to make clear office info like payroll practices, employment rights, and compliance with native rules.
However why is an worker handbook so essential to a development enterprise? Learn on to search out out!
Why do development corporations want an worker handbook?
Operating a development firm comes with a excessive stage of danger: office accidents, authorized disputes, hazardous climate circumstances, and extra can have an effect on any job web site. In line with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 150,000 development web site accident accidents happen every year.
To assist mitigate office danger and construct belief together with your group, it’s important that each worker working in development has a transparent understanding of security protocols, which must be detailed in an worker handbook. Having all workers sign-off on a handbook that defines rights and obligations will assist shield your enterprise ought to a lawsuit come up between you and a employee.
A complete handbook may also assist promote a optimistic work tradition, setting your group up for fulfillment by guaranteeing all expectations are clear. Ensure you encourage worker suggestions, updating handbooks when needed to point out respect to your employees, increase engagement, and preserve the data related.
How the development {industry} differs from different small companies
Whereas all small companies require a normal worker handbook, these created for development corporations also needs to have industry-specific info on:
- Security protocols
- Authorized obligations
- Moral requirements
- Office habits
- Insurance coverage insurance policies
- Gear tips
- Accident prevention strategies
- Emergency evacuation
- Potential worksite exposures
Together with thorough explanations on the entire above will assist lower the danger of on-the-job errors and accidents. In case you’re missing experience in sure areas, we advocate consulting a authorized skilled. This ensures your worker handbook complies with native legal guidelines and rules, and that each part is correctly outlined.
Get your development crew on the identical web page by leaving no room for misunderstanding.
What to incorporate in a development firm worker handbook
1. Firm overview
The primary part ought to outline your development firm’s mission, imaginative and prescient, and values. It’s vital your workers have a transparent image of what your organization prioritizes—range and inclusion, well being and security, and so on.—proper off the bat. Shaping your organization’s work tradition round a set of core values and ethics will inform workers about what to anticipate so there aren’t any surprises.
2. Code of conduct
It’s important to incorporate all moral {and professional} expectations so your workers know the way you count on them to behave on a piece web site. This part can cowl all the things from attendance and punctuality to decorate code, however also needs to clarify how administration will help your group remedy issues like battle decision and reporting defective gear.
Listed below are another insurance policies to construct into your code of conduct:
- Well being and security protocols
- Alcohol, drug, and cigarette use
- Inclement climate
- Utilization of firm automobiles and gear
- Job web site expectations (cleanliness, group, dealing with hazardous materials, and so on.)
- Telephone utilization
- Office violence and harassment
3. Employment info
To keep away from fixed forwards and backwards between administration and workers in the course of the onboarding course of and past, attempt to reply as many potential questions on employment insurance policies on this part. This could embody info on:
4. Legal guidelines and rules
Right here is your probability to stipulate which federal, native, and state legal guidelines your development firm follows—and the way your workers should adjust to every. This part additionally helps with legal responsibility if one among your workers recordsdata a lawsuit in opposition to your organization.
In case your handbook states your development firm is an equal alternative employer, it also needs to embody info on anti-discrimination and anti-harassment legal guidelines, and the way administration will uphold and implement them by way of particular insurance policies.
The development {industry} comes with many well being and security rules, so it’s important your handbook particulars procedures for compliance to reduce hazard and oversights.
5. Disciplinary processes
As soon as your handbook’s insurance policies and procedures are clearly defined, you’ll want to incorporate a piece on the varieties of penalties workers ought to count on in the event that they break the foundations. These processes are sometimes outlined step-by-step, ranging from an preliminary warning to in search of counseling, and ending with termination of employment.
If an worker violates any coverage, like a employee reveals up late a number of instances or an assault happens in your group, this framework ought to clearly state how every violation can be addressed. Workers ought to have a transparent understanding of their particular tasks at work earlier than they’re disciplined.
Suggestions for writing an enticing development worker handbook
Right here’s how one can guarantee your handbook is accessible, related, and interesting:
- Incorporate worker suggestions
- Assessment and replace it frequently
- Current it at a group assembly—attempt to make it enjoyable with surveys and prizes!
- Embody graphics and charts to make it extra readable
Use Homebase to distribute your worker handbook
In case you’re not sure how or when to distribute your development worker handbook, Homebase can help you. Use Homebase’s hiring & onboarding software to take the drudgery out of your admin duties and get your handbook into the mitts of your new hires!
