How to Write an Employee Handbook

Some employee handbooks are copied from a book. Some are passed around from one employer to another. Some are found online these days. Even if an employer starts with a canned handbook, a few trusted members of management have responsibility for the final product. They might even write the whole thing from scratch. Human resources usually plays a key part in this process. The problem is that the people writing the handbook don’t know the most about what they’re writing.

According to the New York Times, the U.S. Army, one of the most top-down, centralized organizations there is, has decided to do it the right way. In the past, Army handbooks or policies have been written by a select few specialists, like most employee handbooks are written. They write about things they don’t necessarily know about.

Now, the Army is encouraging all its personnel, from privates to generals, to go online and collaboratively rewrite seven of the field manuals that give instructions on all aspects of Army life. Finally, battle-tested soldiers who know all about Army life will have input.

The Army concluded that the thinking behind its field manuals was too rigid, that it was time to challenge traditional dogma. If the Army can do this, any employer can.

There will be resistance from the top. Employees at the bottom may initially be reluctant to weigh in until it’s proven that what they say will be taken seriously and what they say won’t get them into trouble. And, of course, employees won’t have the final say. What they will do is provide a framework with rules and policies that match what’s going on in the real world.

Employees will feel some ownership of the handbook. Employers will have a handbook that makes more sense and makes the organization more productive.

1. 

   ACU Frank says:

   August 20, 2009 at 3:24 pm

   John, you took the words right out of my mouth with “If the Army can do this, any employer can.”

   The Wiki approach to collecting, organizing, and improving the relevance of information provides opportunities that one, two, even 20 subject matter experts cannot. It also scares the bejeesus out of control freaks.

   Eventually, the Wiki will win. It just makes too much sense.
2. 

   John Phillips says:

   August 20, 2009 at 5:48 pm

   Frank,

   Thanks for your comment. I like your observation about its effect on control freaks. Something has needed to scare them for a long time, so maybe Wiki will finally do the trick.

   John