| You run a small business. You only have a handful of | | | | leave an employee is allowed and the policies on |
| employees. You may even have less than twenty | | | | taking the leave. This way, you will not have to worry |
| people working for you. With such a small business, | | | | about awkward situations when you have to |
| there is no need for a company handbook, right? After | | | | reprimand an employee. |
| all, you talk to everyone of your employees everyday | | | | 2. A customer comes into your business, extremely |
| and you know just what they do all day. A company | | | | upset because a service they paid for did not work |
| handbook would just seem silly in your business, right? | | | | out the way they expect. An employee is faced with |
| Actually, this is very much wrong. No matter the size | | | | a delicate situation, knowing that the company |
| of the company, you need a company manual. Think | | | | performed correctly, but needing to make sure the |
| about some of the situations that you could run into | | | | customer leaves satisfied. They do not know how to |
| even in a small business. Here are just a few of the | | | | handle the problem. |
| scenarios that could very easily happen. These | | | | A company manual or handbook should include |
| situations would be much easier to handle if you had a | | | | procedures sections that would cover many different |
| company manual. | | | | situations that may arise. How to handle irate |
| 1. An employee is not aware of the sick leave | | | | customers should be in the procedures section. If the |
| available at the company, or the employee knows the | | | | employee had a company manual, then they would be |
| sick leave policy, but does not go by it. Within a small | | | | able to know what to do. For example, you may want |
| company, it is very easy for an employee to think | | | | to speak directly to an irate customer yourself. This |
| something along the lines of, "it is a small company. We | | | | would be in the manual. |
| are like family, and I can take all the time I need. It will | | | | There are many different things that would be within |
| not matter." | | | | your company manual that could save both you and |
| How can a company manual rectify this situation? If | | | | your employees time and stress. As you can see with |
| you have a company handbook, within its pages will be | | | | these two examples, a company handbook is vital, |
| something explaining in clear letters how much sick | | | | even if your business is extremely small. |