Creating An Employee Handbook for Nonprofits

Creating an employee handbook provides a cornerstone reference guide for an organization. It serves as a central source of information about policies, procedures, and the organization’s culture.

For nonprofits, especially, where resources can be limited and roles diverse, the importance of an employee handbook is immense. A well-crafted HR employee handbook is a tool that shows commitment to consistency, fairness, and transparency in a nonprofit organization.

Further, a comprehensive handbook can also serve as a critical tool in risk management when it clearly outlines policies related to discrimination, harassment, and disciplinary actions.

If your nonprofit needs some tips regarding how to create an employee manual, we can help.

Planning Your Nonprofit Employee Handbook

Working for a nonprofit, you understand the critical importance of creating a plan for any project. An employee handbook is a valuable piece of organizational content, making the planning stage instrumental in its composition and eventual success.

Here is some preliminary work you can do.

1. Identify Goals for the Handbook

Determine why your nonprofit needs a handbook and what you want it to achieve. Dig deeper than outlining policies and procedures. Consider how it can support your nonprofit’s mission, reflect your organizational culture, and serve as a resource for employee engagement, safety, and overall satisfaction.

2. Gather Input and Insights from Key Individuals

Consult with various stakeholders involved with your nonprofit, including:

• Leadership
• Department Managers
• HR Staff
• Selected Employees

Once you have gathered everyone’s insights, it can help identify the most relevant content areas and address specific concerns or needs.

3. Review and Understand Legal Requirements

Do your research or reach out to a legal professional to understand the legal framework associated with employment in your area, including federal, state, and local laws. This step is essential to ensure your handbook complies with all legal requirements and best practices for employment.

4. Decide on the Right Structure and Format

Understanding the handbook’s format will help you keep things organized. One important consideration is the delivery and consumption method, so decide whether you want to distribute it digitally, as a hard copy, or both.

7 Steps to Create an Effective Employee Manual

By understanding the importance of employee handbooks and with some preparation out of the way, you can officially start creating an employee handbook ready for use with these seven steps.

1. Outline Your Nonprofit’s Mission and Values: Begin with a clear statement of your organization’s mission and values to your respective community, as well as to your stakeholders and employees. This first, crucial step sets the tone for the handbook and aligns employees with your nonprofit’s goals.

2. Define Employment Policies: Clearly lay out policies regarding employment terms, work hours, telecommuting, leaves of absence, PTO, and other employment-related matters. Ensure these policies comply with local, state, and federal laws.

3. Detail Compensation and Benefits: Include information about salaries, benefits, such as health insurance, retirement plans, vacation policies, training and professional development opportunities, and eligibility criteria. Customize these sections to reflect the unique offerings available to all employees and managers when working for your nonprofit.

4. Establish Conduct Guidelines: Outline expected behaviors and standards of conduct to create and foster a positive work atmosphere. This section should cover everything from the dress code to ethics and confidentiality policies.

5. Explain Performance Evaluation Processes: Describe how and when performance evaluations will be conducted. It is also important to let employees know who will conduct the reviews, what they will cover, and what the remediation process looks like if required. This step helps employees understand the expectations and metrics against which they will be monitored, compared, and assessed.

6. Provide Procedures for Reporting Grievances and Complaints: It’s important for employees to know how to report issues or concerns. Clearly outline the steps they should take if they need to file a grievance or report misconduct.

7. Regularly Update the Handbook: Laws and organizational policies evolve, so it’s crucial to review and update your handbook regularly.

Employee Handbook Examples

Providing real, working examples of employee handbooks in the nonprofit space can be incredibly helpful. If you have a network of fellow leaders in the nonprofit sector, you may ask a peer if you can discuss their strategy or review their handbook.

Alternatively, since specific examples tailored to nonprofits may be harder to come by, looking at handbooks from a variety of sectors can offer inspiration and best practices.

Are You Ready to Create Your HR Employee Handbook?

We hope these tips will get you started, but you don’t have to plan, outline, and compose this important organizational asset on your own. Creating an employee handbook is a significant undertaking, so we encourage you to reach out to us for support.

At UST, we offer an extensive menu of nonprofit HR solutions for community-focused organizations that don’t have full-time, designated HR teams. Start with our reliable UST HR Workplace for guidance. Our professionals can help you prepare to craft your handbook, offering updated legal and regulatory information and overall best practices.

Explore the value of our services for yourself by signing up for our FREE 60-day trial, or contact us to discuss your nonprofit’s unique HR needs and Choose UST.

SOURCES

www.abelajlaw.com/non-profits/non-profit-employee-handbook/

No specific citation/allusion, but helpful: blog.airmason.com/employee-handbook-for-non-profit/

www.chooseust.org/solutions-overview

www.chooseust.org/hr-trial

www.chooseust.org/contact-us