Most smart entrepreneurs and all large corporations have Employee Relations Manuals. Nearly all businesses with over five or more employees have some sort of employee manuals but not all have Employee Relations Manuals for their managers. It is important in today's litigious lawyer trap to have a good policy in place to protect you from a bad decision or improper handling of an employee situation by a manager. All too often a minor incident can lead to a problematic situation and end up in court, union arbitration or a hefty fine from a government regulatory agency which often tend to side with the employee, regardless of fact.
Defusing situations early on can help your team avoid costly litigation and rectify situations quickly. During my 24-years as an entrepreneur operating a small business, which grew into the largest mobile car wash company on the Planet operating in 23 states and four countries, it became apparent to me that having a proper policy for the treatment of employees was a quintessential part of keeping the team strong. It is important to win markets and not allow your company to be torn down from the inside out. Below is the outline for our employee relation manual. I cannot give you the full version and the case law might change in the future and case me to be named in a lawsuit for merely giving you this free knowledge. What I recommend you do with this outline below is modify it to fit your business model and then write 2-3 paragraphs for each item and then take it to an employment lawyer to review. Yes, I know, you do not like lawyers, neither do I, but a little bit of preventive maintenance on your employee relations manual may save you hundreds of thousands of dollars as your company grows. Even one sexual harassment lawsuit can cost that much. There is much more to a complete manual of this type, however much is also boilerplate and law related which you can add in after you have completed this important exercise. Here is our outline; you are welcome to it.
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
I. LISTENING
A. Repeat (Summarize)
B. Goals
C. Promotions
D. Back Them Up
II. COMPANY MEETINGS
A. Pizza
B. BBQ's
C. Fishing
D. Lake, Etc.
III. CORPORATE MEETINGS
A. Invite
B. Attend
C. Car Pool
D. Send To Manager Training
IV. THANKS
A. Notes
B. Atta-Boys
C. Lunch
V. SHOW UP ON JOBS
A. Help
B. Praise
C. Tell Them Of Compliments From Customers
D. Tell Family And Friends
E. Raises
F. Etc.
VI. HIRING FRIENDS
A. Be Careful
B. Up Front
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
A janitorial cleaning service is one of the best businesses... Read More
No matter what kind of small business you have, you... Read More
Nothing can drive a business down faster than customers who... Read More
That sizzling sound you're hearing may be a symptom of... Read More
Starting and managing a small business is no fun chore,... Read More
Is your business making money? Would you know?Figuring out whether... Read More
Articles abound advising the business community how to properly screen... Read More
In today's fast paced marketplace it is easy to neglect... Read More
Early in my career, I wrote an article for a... Read More
You can make your trade show experience much easier by... Read More
When you feel like you're always busy working on your... Read More
Hogwash!That's what I say to people who tell me that... Read More
Last year, trillions of dollars transferred hands on the internet... Read More
The start of a new year is a time for... Read More
Scenario OneDuring a recent presentation, a business owner was given... Read More
Pet Transportation Services are needed as the number of pets... Read More
As a company grows, the owner's role begins to change.... Read More
Don't you find that there are so many decisions you... Read More
TACTIC #1 -- Never simply slash your prices, unless you're... Read More
Aircraft Interiors of personal and corporate jets have hundreds of... Read More
1. TargetYou are not all things to all people. Decide... Read More
The stock market is still on a wild roller coaster... Read More
If you have ever had your antique shop or mall... Read More
As a specialist in getting restaurants open, it is surprising... Read More
There will come a time in your business where you... Read More
Like most regulatory bodies in the United States, the Federal... Read More
Most small businesses will not even try to advertise on... Read More
One of the critical success factors for service-related businesses is... Read More
Gather round while I tell you the story of Kennebec... Read More
Perhaps you are building a new home office or you... Read More
Just when the entire state was kissing Wichita goodbye, economically... Read More
What is a guru?A guru is a teacher. A mentor.... Read More
What will your business look like a year from today?If... Read More
Everyday more web based companies enter the business scene. The... Read More
Why give freebies?We have all seen freebies at trade shows... Read More
Home based travel businesses are no longer the wave of... Read More
Here are seven ways for owners of small businesses to... Read More
There's been a recent rise in the number of elderly... Read More
If small business had no important outside audiences, it wouldn't... Read More
Every business plan book tells you how the Executive Summary... Read More
Competition in the business world is often viewed as a... Read More
When is advice free and when should you charge for... Read More
First you have to start with knowing your budget and... Read More
What is a guru?A guru is a teacher. A mentor.... Read More
Many auto detailers fall short in their sales presentations. I... Read More
Start thinking about buying an established business if you want... Read More
Just a few years ago, when one thought of a... Read More
This morning, I went to take a short walk outside.... Read More
Here are some useful tips on how to select a... Read More
I have to admit, I was curious. When I saw... Read More
If you own a mobile car washing, pressure washing or... Read More
Which questions do you need to ask to even get... Read More
Many people ask how many graphs or charts they should... Read More
1. There Are No "gimmes" ? They count two-foot putts... Read More
When pressure washing heavy equipment each piece of equipment has... Read More
So often small service businesses fail to exploit niches, which... Read More
You're a small business owner with a hot new product... Read More
If you want to start a business in 2005, and... Read More
Small business owners often enter their field with great expectations.... Read More
$37.4 million funded from venture capital today. $86.4 million funded... Read More
Like most regulatory bodies in the United States, the Federal... Read More
Last week we discussed the importance of performing an autopsy... Read More
When someone owes your small business money, you certainly feel... Read More
Why should you always maintain a good report with a... Read More
"So what?" is a lovely question.It can lead to a... Read More
Here are some sound debt collection techniques that can be... Read More
Small Business |