Every company needs solid HR policies to guide their people. But what makes a great HR policy, really?
In this blog, we'll dive into the world of HR policies and equip you with the knowledge you need to build the best policies for your company.
What is an HR Policy?
An HR policy is a formal document that details your company's approach to managing its people. Essentially, it’s a rulebook that outlines your company’s approach to various HR matters (ie. recruitment, compensation, and performance management) and provides clear instructions to employees and managers.
It establishes the core principles and expectations that guide employee relations, setting the stage for a positive and productive work environment.
HR policies also play a role in shaping your company culture by clearly communicating your values and expectations. By providing clear guidelines for various situations, HR policies ensure consistent treatment of employees across the board.
What makes a good HR policy?
Effective HR policies are clear, concise, and easy to understand. They should leave little room for misinterpretation and provide a solid framework for handling various scenarios that may arise in the workplace.
Tips for drafting an HR policy
Crafting an HR policy can be a time-consuming and tricky task – but it doesn’t have to be.
Let’s walk through a few tips to help make creating your HR policy simpler and quicker.
1. Identify your HR needs
Ask yourself what areas in your business would benefit from clear and formalised policies. This could be departments such as recruitment and onboarding, performance management, compensation and benefits, or disciplinary procedures, to give you some ideas.
2. Use clear, concise language
The last thing you want is to implement a 50-page HR policy full of business jargon and complex language that your employees struggle to understand! Having an HR policy written with clear, concise language makes it easy for all employees to understand.
To do this, be sure to avoid legalese and jargon, and ensure the policy can be readily grasped by someone unfamiliar with HR terminology.
3. Consult your stakeholders
Involve your legal counsel, other HR professionals, managers, and even employee representatives. Their input can help ensure the policy is legally compliant, aligns with your company culture, and addresses the needs of all parties involved.
4. Stay up-to-date
The world of work is constantly evolving, so it's crucial to keep your HR policies with the times. Make sure your policies avoid including employee names or specific examples that may no longer be relevant with time.
Take the time to regularly review and update your policies to reflect any changes in legislation, industry best practices, or your company's internal procedures.
5. Use AI to help draft
Drafting an HR policy can be time-consuming and tedious, especially if you have many to write up. But AI can help HR teams make the best use of their time.
The right AI tool can help draft your policy, so all you have to do is input the details of your policy and let the tool draft the copy around it.
At Ben, we’ve created a free AI policy generator to help kickstart your policy writing. Just enter your policy details and let the generator bring your HR policy to life.
Final thoughts
Strong HR policies form the backbone of a healthy and productive work environment.
By following these tips, you can craft effective policies that guide your employee relations, promote a positive work culture, and set your company up for success.