Is Your Employee Handbook Actually Helping?
(…or is it just collecting digital dust?)
Employee handbooks are one of those “must-have” documents every business needs — but far too often, they’re ignored, misunderstood, or misused.
If your handbook is gathering dust (digital or physical), it’s time for a refresh. Let’s look at what a good handbook should actually do — and how to tell if yours is helping or hurting.
❌ Common Problems with Traditional Handbooks
1. Too long. Too boring.
Some handbooks are 70+ pages of legal jargon and generic policies that no one reads. If it’s more like a novel than a guide, you’ve lost your audience.
2. Written for HR… not humans.
If it sounds like it was written by a solicitor in the 90s, it probably was. Employees don’t engage with handbooks they can’t understand or relate to.
3. Not tailored to your business.
Off-the-shelf templates often miss crucial context: your tone of voice, culture, hybrid working, or even health & safety needs. That makes it hard to enforce — and even harder for employees to trust.
4. Outdated or legally risky.
Employment law and best practice evolve. If your handbook hasn’t been updated in the last year or two, it might be more of a liability than a safeguard.
✅ What a Great Handbook Should Do
Be clear, concise, and human
Reflect your business values and ways of working
Help employees know what’s expected — and what they can expect in return
Support managers in handling everyday people issues
Act as a compliance tool and a cultural guide
📌 How to Tell If Yours Needs a Revamp
Ask yourself:
Do new starters actually read it?
Can your team find what they need when they need it?
Does it still reflect how your business operates post-COVID?
Is it written in plain English?
If you hesitated on any of those — we can help.
💼 OPS Makes Handbooks That Work
At Oxford People Solutions, we build bespoke employee handbooks that are:
Aligned with your industry
Inclusive and legally sound
Designed to be read, understood, and used
Whether you're starting from scratch or updating what you’ve got, we’ll make sure your handbook helps your people — and protects your business.
