• Social media – guidelines for staff when using social media to
promote your organization, as well as parameters employees
must follow with regards to professionalism when posting
about your workplace on their personal social media accounts
• Safety – depending on your workplace, you may have your safety
policies and procedures as a part of your handbook. Or, you
may choose to create a separate document/safety manual.
• Accommodation and return to work programs – the
procedures for accommodation in human right protected
areas and return to work for injured or sick employees
• Hours of work – the hours that your office, stores, etc. are open,
the hours that full-time and part-time employees are expected
to work, as well as breaks that employees are entitled to
• Time sheets – how and where employees record their work hours
• Overtime – processes around overtime, including
how it is paid out and whether or not overtime
needs to be approved before it is worked
A good handbook will reflect your company’s culture and will
communicate the values of your organization. For example, for an
organization that values family and work life flexibility, the bereave-ment
policy might read, “If someone you love dies, you will be enti-tled
to three paid days off and you may take as much unpaid time off
as you need to be comfortable in returning to work.”
Whereas a more formal organization may have a policy that states,
“In the event of an immediate family member passing away, employ-ees
GRAVEL CRUSHING AND HAULING
GARRY FAUSER
JOEL MASSE
472.7765
472.7661
box 460, lafleche, sk s0h 2K0
PH: 472.3144 FAX: 472.3122
Slow to 60
in a Work Zone
Imagine it was your child standing there.
Highway construction and repair crews are on the job all
across Saskatchewan. Slow to 60. It’s the law.
Fines start at $300.
saskatchewan.ca/workzone
MHI_0072A_ThinkBig_Magazine_Ad_061416.indd 1 2016-06-15 3:02 PM
are entitled to three paid days off and two unpaid days off.”
Although both of these policies are acceptable, they make very
different culture statements. Be sure your handbook is consistent
with your culture throughout. If you are family focused in one area,
carry this theme all the way through. If you use a very formal lan-guage
and strict policies, be sure this is consistent across the en-tire
handbook.
Your handbook should also be a part of your training and orien-tation
process. Having employees read their handbook when they
start will ensure they are on the same page as all other staff. It will
provide them with a preview of the company’s culture. Knowing
these things will make their transition into their new role more com-fortable
as they are more knowledgeable, have an understanding of
your workplace and what is expected of them. Going one step fur-ther
and having them sign a document that can be stored on their
personnel file that says they have read and understand the policies
is also good practice. It is also a good idea to review the handbook
with the staff on a regular basis, even as frequently as annually.
A handbook is an important start to building a solid HR infra-structure
that is clear, concise and consistent. HR problems can be
avoided when people know the company’s thoughts on HR policy
and practices.
Dawn Hillrud is a partner in Knibbs/associates Sourcing People
and an associate of Knibbs/associates HR Consulting. Both
organizations provide HR and employee recruitment services
to large and small businesses. Dawn is a professional HR
consultant who knows how to change a tire and drive a tractor.
HR DEPARTMENT
58 Think BIG | Quarter 3 2016 | saskheavy.ca
/workzone
/saskheavy.ca