Our company has an employee manual. We would like to start having employees sign it when they are employed, and possibly each year. Has anyone had experience with this? How did you handle it - electronically or hard copy? How do you deal with changes during the year - have employees sign each change as it occurs? (We are a small company, 25 employees.) Thanks.
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I’m from a small company and what we did was have about 150 copies printed. We gave the handbook to all employees and had all employees sign a form which stated that they received a copy of the handbook then we filed the form in their employee file. Anyone that didn’t hand back the form, I went around and had them sign the form personally so I could account for all the employees.
When we hire new employees they receive the new hire packet and when they are filling out all the company forms that one is included and put in their personnel file.
When we make changes to policy we write the change in a memo format and hand deliver to each employee (and you could post it on the bulletin board too) and then we include it as an addendum in the handbook. We never do a policy change electronically because there will be those people who will say they never saw it in writing or those people without computers will say they never got it so hand delivery is the best way especially in a small company. When we get several changes then we revise the handbook and include the changes in the new handbook. There is no need to redistribute to all employees.
Hope this helps!
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Anonymous on
9/26/2008 11:13:43 AM
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We are a school district with approximately 350 employees. We send out our policy manual in hard copy to all employees with a cover sheet that they are to sign stating that they have received and read the policy and that sheet is returned to our human resources department. Any changes are updated on an annual basis.
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Anonymous on
9/26/2008 11:11:02 AM
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We have the employee sign for the employee manual when they are hired; should they be terminated or quit, they are required to return the manual to human resources - each manual has the employees name on it. When changes are made the changes are sent to the supervisor to have each employee in their sign for their sheet giving the specific change. The sheet with the signatures is returned to human resources. We employ 500 employees.
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Anonymous on
9/24/2008 8:47:18 AM
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It is a good idea to have each employee sign when they receive their employee manual.
Our Human Resources person have each employee sign for the employee manual at the orientation piece of their employment. As changes, additions, etc. occur, she presents them to the employees along with a sheet indicating they received these changes, additions, etc., and they sign for it and return it to the HR person. She then place these sheets in their personnel file.
In this manner, no employee can say they didn't know or was not aware of any changes, additions, etc.
We are a non-profit community-based organization, and everything that is presented to our employees are documented and filed.
It works very well for us, and it also keeps our employees up-to-date on policies and procedures of the organization.
Hope this is helpful to you.
Jenny Penningston
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Jenny Penningston on
9/18/2008 12:06:30 PM
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In addition, signature sheets always accompany the manual. Employees retain a copy of the sheet for the records, while the original is kept on file, generally in human resources. I am not sure, but I believe the manual is also uploaded on the network for viewing purposes only.
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Rene Rivers on
9/17/2008 2:37:52 PM
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We have over 150 employees -- if not more than that. When our employee handbook was first distributed, it was done by departments, based on the number of employees in that department and each department head had to sign that he received them for his employees and employees had to sign for receiving it. It is distributed in hard copy and, as said in other posts, is the responsibility of each employee to read it. A staff meeting was held before the distribution of the manual to go over it and to discuss how changes would be handled (if any). While changes are not made annually, it was decided that staff meetings would be held to talk about what changes could possible be made. All new employees thereafter are to receive and sign for the receipt of the manual.
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Rene Rivers on
9/17/2008 2:36:19 PM
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We have an employee manual and do a sign when picked up. It is their responsibility to read it. It is a hardcopy. We have over 1,500 employees. This is the 1st time we have distributed so I am not sure the time table on another one. Hope this helps. Eddi Lynn
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Eddi-Lynn Loveland on
9/17/2008 7:36:13 AM
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I created our company employee manual years ago and kept it simple by printing it 2 sided 6X8, 3 hole punched and binding it with a plastic replaceable binder. I made the changes electronically, printed the new individual pages in sets and distributed a copy to each employee. They had to sign the log and it was placed with the original and a copy of the changes in the file. If needed, you could save the file with changes and the log electronically. Good Luck!
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Joan Leib on
9/16/2008 1:27:17 PM
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We have employees sign when they receive the employee manual and this is kept on file. (Signature sheets can be either sent as a hard copy or scanned and emailed to help control paper costs etc.) For updates the pages along w/ a signature page is emailed to all employees requesting them to replace the hard copy version and return the outdated pages w/ their name on it for tracking purposes. The signature page is scanned and returned electronically. A spreadsheet is maintained of all manual distribution and updates to insure staff (125) is in compliance. Some follow up is required but not much.
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Jeanette Bright on
9/16/2008 1:05:53 PM
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We use a signature page that is included as the last page of the manual. New employees must sign it after reviewing the manual. This signature page is kept in their Personnel Record. Changes are relayed via e-mail usually & sent with return receipt requested so that we can ensure each employee has read it. I hope this helps.
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Anonymous on
9/16/2008 12:57:33 PM
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The last three organizations I have worked for have done the same thing. Everyone signs that they have received a copy of the manual and as part of the signing the document they are agreeing to read it and be held to all that is contained within. As new items are updated or added, HR has a master sign off sheet (or multiple sheets if the responsibility is given to Department heads as in a larger organization) and you initial or sign your name as the new pages are added or replaced the manual at your desk. These sheets are kept in files in HR. It makes everyone accountable for the policies or procedures used. For ease of use though-we do keep a copy of an electronic manual on a shared drive. The pdf version is updated on the day the changes or additions go out. It is easy to do a search and/or access form outside the building when needed.
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Robin Lewis on
9/16/2008 12:36:23 PM
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Our company does it through a electronic desk training using PPT. Once they have completed the training they hit "end" which shows their employee number or email address to show they have completed the training and know the updated information.
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Valerie Rau on
9/16/2008 12:34:50 PM
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We just completed revising our policy manual for the police department. We have about 40 total employees. I printed out hard copies of the manual for everyone and numbered the manuals. As they are distributed I am recording the numbers in the personnel area of our records management system. The manual is also available on our city's intra-net as PDF forms. This is a first and makes it easier to search. As revisions are made I will make copies of the applicable pages and distribute them to supervisors to then hand out to their employees and update their hard copies. Additionally, the on-line version will be updated as changes are made to keep it up-to-date. If you would like to discuss this further feel free to contact me at 928-204-7170 (Arizona time) or via e-mail at NWilson@SedonaAZ.gov
Good luck with your project!
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Nancy Wilson on
9/16/2008 12:32:22 PM
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Hello,
We have an employee handbook as well. When it was published back in 2006 all employees (and all new hires since) signed a hard copy acknowledging receipt that is put into their personnel folder. It is stated within the handbook "new or revised policies are issued periodically and are effective as of the date shown at the bottom of each section affected" due to this language, new editions are not printed, and new acknowledgements are not necessary. Each employee is responsible for periodically reading the online version of the handbook which would have the most current policies etc.
Hope this helps!
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Jamie on
9/16/2008 12:26:27 PM
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