Why you need written, documented company policies

When was the last time you reviewed your organization's policies? If you're like many employers, writing or updating policies is at the bottom of a lengthy "to-do" list. And, you may even question the value of having written company policies because of the apparently conflicting advice concerning their usefulness.

On one hand, many HR experts advocate having written policies as a way of communicating your organization's values and practices to employees. Alternatively, a growing number of attorneys are warning clients that poorly drafted policies may land you in court. So, whom should you believe?

The short answer is both groups. Upon closer consideration, these positions are not contradictory. Well-written policies and employee handbooks can both serve as an effective communication device and help you stay out of court, or at least give you a better chance of prevailing if you end up there. In contrast, poorly executed policies can create unintended contracts and be used as evidence of noncompliance in court.

Learn how to write an employee handbook.

How about delivering your employee handbook or company policies? Have you considered using a learning management system to deploy your policies? Most learning management systems enable tracking and reporting. So not only can you create an ongoing delivery system, you can also monitor or track employees who have not viewed your employee policy. What better compliance tracking and documentation than downloading and printing your employees access and completion records.