{"id":4778,"date":"2019-01-25T15:56:57","date_gmt":"2019-01-25T15:56:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hrdirectapps.com\/blog\/?p=4778"},"modified":"2022-04-13T14:00:03","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T14:00:03","slug":"tips-to-communicate-company-policies-to-employees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hrdirectapps.com\/blog\/tips-to-communicate-company-policies-to-employees\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Tips for Communicating Company Policies to Your Employees"},"content":{"rendered":"The good news: Many small businesses recognize the importance of company policies<\/a> informing employees of their rights and workplace rules.\r\n\r\nThe bad news: They\u2019re not getting this information into the hands of every employee.\r\n\r\nBy law, you must notify employees of certain workplace rights, such as equal employment opportunity<\/a>, the Family and Medical Leave Act<\/a> (if applicable) and workplace safety under OSHA<\/a>. Developing written company policies regarding these rights can help you maintain compliance, as well as provide critical legal protection should any questions arise later.\r\n\r\nA policy manual is a vital reference tool for your workers \u2026 but only<\/em><\/strong> if they have easy access to the content. As a responsible employer, it\u2019s up to you to distribute these policies, whether in printed format or online. It\u2019s essential, too, to obtain acknowledgement that each employee received a copy of the policy or handbook.\r\n\r\nLet\u2019s take a closer look at some best practices for company policy distribution:\r\n\r\nGet a signature \u2013 <\/strong>It\u2019s a smart idea to have employees sign a statement acknowledging they have received and read your company policies. Although you\u2019re not legally obligated to obtain signatures, doing so provides proof you informed employees of your company policies (including those requiring notification by law). This can reduce legal risk if there\u2019s ever a dispute about whether or not an employee was aware of a policy.\r\n\r\nDon\u2019t force compliance — <\/strong>You might think it\u2019s alright to issue a statement that employees will follow the policy, but this can be problematic. An employee may refuse to sign an acknowledgement if they don’t agree with something in the policy. Instead, ask that they acknowledge receipt of the policy, which is an important distinction. Keep in mind that refusing to sign the agreement doesn’t mean the employee is exempt from the policy. Employees are accountable for adhering to workplace rules and procedures.\r\n\r\nExplain the policy — <\/strong>Having a manager or supervisor review policies with employees — or answer any questions in person \u2013 can improve understanding. Also make sure you let employees know that whether they sign or not, the policy still applies.\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nCallout: <\/strong>According to a survey by GuideSpark<\/a>, 43% of millennial employees (and 30% of non-millennial employees) said they haven\u2019t read most of their employee handbooks. More than one-third of employees didn\u2019t even know where their handbooks were anymore. Electronic distribution and access can help counter this.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

What if your employee won\u2019t sign an acknowledgement of the policy?<\/h2>\r\nYou can\u2019t force an employee to sign a policy acknowledgement, but you can certainly try to understand their objection. Discuss their concerns. For example, if an employee is troubled about wearing a uniform for religious reasons, consider an exception.\r\n\r\nAlso, it is usually within your rights to terminate an employee who refuses to sign the acknowledgement form (as most employment is at-will) ), but that might not be a wise approach. This could be especially damaging to your efforts to create a positive and constructive workplace. Keep in mind, too, that if you take this approach, you must do so with all employees, not just some.\r\n\r\nInstead, you could:\r\n