| A business is only able to grow as fast as the | | | | trained faster. |
| internal organization is able to process higher | | | | As employer, you could hire employees with |
| volumes of sales. But how to get an optimal | | | | lower education. And your employees will love it, |
| internal organization? Well, you will need to adapt | | | | because they know where to look, when they |
| your internal organization over and over again. It's | | | | have questions and they could improve their |
| a never ending story. However, a Company | | | | working environment as well. But the most |
| Employee Handbook could assist you to achieve | | | | advantage for the owner is, that the organization |
| the best internal business organization. | | | | will be able to work properly, when the business |
| This brings up the question, What has to be | | | | grows and when the owner might sell the |
| included in a Company/Employee Handbook? | | | | business one day, it might get sold easier, |
| Everything what has influence to your business | | | | because of the proper organization. |
| operation. First of all, it has to be outlined which | | | | When installing a Company Handbook, you will find |
| areas the Company/Employee Handbook will | | | | procedures you could automate. Automating the |
| cover. As it has to do with internal operation, here | | | | operation as much as possible will also be a big |
| is a list of items you should include: | | | | benefit, because employees and employer are |
| - Company Background Information | | | | able to focus their workforce on more important |
| (Name-Development, Foundation date and place, | | | | topics, such as improving the sales volume. |
| History-Milestones, Vision) | | | | Furthermore automatization will reduce to cost of |
| - Owner and/or Manager Bios/Profiles | | | | operation as well. |
| - Listing of Officers and Board of Directors | | | | A Company/Employee Handbook is a bit like a |
| - Employment Roles (Job Roles, Job Descriptions) | | | | Business Plan, but far more detailed, because it will |
| - Description of the main products and services | | | | contain information on every internal procedure. |
| (just use your marketing material) | | | | Only the financial part of the business plan will not |
| - FAQ (about internal subjects only) | | | | be included, but if you like you might include some |
| - Company timeline (What, when, where) | | | | financial information you like to share with your |
| - Office procedures (Workflow-Information, | | | | employees. As you describe your procedures just |
| Working Procedures) | | | | do it as a numeration or listing. The description |
| - List of persons to know (Bank Contact, Tax | | | | doesn't have to be very well formed, it's just |
| Advisor, Laywer, Main Suppliers, etc.) | | | | important that everyone who will read it is able to |
| - Overview of agreements (Rental, Leasing, etc.) | | | | understand what has to be done. |
| - Internal Policies (Dress code, Phone usage and | | | | Remember, a Company Handbook is a living |
| answering, Voice Mail Procedure, Parking, | | | | system, if you and your employees are not |
| Business Cards, Drug Policy, etc.). | | | | updating it regularly, it will be death one day, |
| The above list shows which information should be | | | | because it will only contain old stuff. So keep all |
| included. The following list shows which | | | | people within your business engaged in improving |
| departments should be included: | | | | the Company Handbook, because it will improve |
| - Distribution | | | | your business internal organization as well. While |
| - Inventory/Warehouse | | | | starting to write the content of your Company |
| - Marketing (How Follow-up's are handled, | | | | Handbook, concentrate on job roles at first; |
| Lead-Generation, etc.) | | | | afterwards write down job descriptions, in case a |
| - Customer Support | | | | job role has been given to employees twice |
| - Research and Development | | | | (Accounting Staff, etc.). Job Roles need to include |
| - Accounting | | | | the duties and the responsibilities of the described |
| - Human Resources | | | | job. |
| - Purchase/Procurement. | | | | Job Roles, Job Descriptions and |
| The above two lists just show, how complex it | | | | Workflow-Descriptions of special procedures don't |
| could be to setup a Company/Employee | | | | have to be the same, but take care that the |
| Handbook. But it doesn't have to be complex, just | | | | information is consistent, that means that it is |
| start partial. Only include the information which are | | | | written in a stream. This way the entire Company |
| already available and use the help of your | | | | Handbook will be of benefit for everyone. When |
| employees. The benefits of having a Company | | | | rereading something on your Company Handbook |
| Handbook are numerous, your employees will | | | | and you still have questions, than the entry is not |
| save time, and it will be easier to improve | | | | finished. |
| procedures, because the procedures will be | | | | Last but not least, your Company/Employee |
| broken down into small sections of the whole | | | | Handbook should be available every time. To do |
| procedures. Everything is clearly described, so | | | | this, think about an Internet or Intranet Solution, |
| nobody needs to ask over and over again. In | | | | depending on the size of your business. Keep it |
| case of holiday or illness of an employee, others | | | | simple and slim, and you will have many benefits |
| could jump into the job, because they could be | | | | from it. Good Luck. |