Policies and procedures are essential for running an effective and efficient business. They outline the expectations, guidelines, and process everyone must follow in order to be successful. While a bulk of a business’ policies can be found in their Employee Handbook, it is best practice to have the procedures in a separate location – whether that's a “document” or shared digital space – where all team members can access it. Most policy and procedure manuals are written for leaders, and referenced by leaders, but there is a lot of transparency and value in open access to all. Below are some policies we HIGHLY recommend every business has regardless of in which state your business resides. And, we can’t forget to mention, each state does have other requirements outside of federal regulations. Policies/ Procedures to have (keep in mind some of these policies are required by state law, but all are good to have regardless): • Harassment policy • Bullying policy • Drug/Alcohol policy • Reasonable Suspicion • Corrective Action policy • General Emergency procedures • Remote Work Policy • Leave Policies & Procedures • Grievance Procedures • Equal Opportunity

Sometimes it’s necessary to have difficult conversations, but we suggest they are well planned and based on observable facts. If unwanted behaviors continue, a formal written notice may be required. We cannot stress enough the importance of documenting interactions – both good and bad – with your employees, but when it comes to disciplinary action, it’s critical to have an HR professional review the documentation since it is discoverable (or admissible in court). We recommend formulating a progressive disciplinary process with specific forms to be filled out by leadership. This maintains consistency across the organization, and helps everyone understand what is expected. Let us help you create a process that works for your business, the forms that will support that process, and a review of the language used in writing these documents.

Onboarding is meant to be a meaningful process for your new team members. First impressions – even virtual ones – do matter. How do you want your new team to talk about their experience with your business to friends and family – or even the community at large – on social media? We assume you want them to rave about everything from their recruiting experience to pre-employment to orientation and onboarding. Below are some steps that we suggest, at a minimum, including in your onboarding checklist: • Welcome Email: Who doesn’t want to be acknowledged on their first day of a new job? People’s emotions tend to be pretty high day one, so sending a simple email to let them know you are thrilled they are here and honestly that you were expecting them is HUGE! • Federal paperwork: We all have to do it, but you can control the timing of most of it (except the I9). No one feels welcomed by a stack of paperwork being shoved in their face the moment they walk in the door. • Company paperwork: See above, but same concept. It’s better to space it out and plan some fun or training in between. • Orientation: A great way for you to find out more about your new team member, share more about the company and sometimes start introductions. Lots of businesses use this time for paperwork, but we think it should be more interactive since it’s usually the first part of a new team member’s day one. • Position overview and mentoring/training: Let the new team member know you have a plan for them to get as acclimated as possible and you care about his/her success! Introductions: take your new team member on a tour, introduce him/her to the team in a fun way whether it’s with icebreaker questions or a game even if it’s virtual. • 30/60/90-day reviews: A new team member should know how he/she is progressing especially within the first 90 days (which is also typically the introductory period). It is best practice to onboard employees in general during their entire first year of employment. We promise you will see the evidence in your retention rate!

With our background in education, we have the ability to incorporate adult learning methods to meet your training needs. Whether that’s training both leaders and employees on HR policies and regulations to reduce your risk of litigation, or training leaders on how to cultivate effective teams while simultaneously providing them with development opportunities that will optimize their skills and confidence as leaders.

Are you growing, acquiring, or merging multiple companies? If so, we can help you manage the due diligence, transition, and integration of new and tenured employees. We are well-versed in reviewing all implications of joining teams across companies, from looking closely at differences in policies to compensation and benefits to making recommendations that take into account the employee experience and business needs.