FirstWeek Kit / Free guides
Employee handbook outline for small teams: 12 sections to cover
A short handbook answers the questions new people ask in their first month, once and in your own words. It does not need to be long or formal.
Sections marked check locally touch on employment law, data protection or safety. Rules differ by country and depend on your contracts, so have those sections reviewed by an employment adviser. This outline is not legal advice.
Free printable: handbook outline and questions
1. Welcome and who we are
- What do we do, and for whom?
- What matters to us in how we work?
2. How we work
- What are the core hours, and how flexible are they?
- Where do we work: office, home, both?
3. Meetings and communication
- Which tool for what: chat, email, calls?
- Which regular meetings are there, and who goes?
4. Time off and absence (check locally)
- How do I book holiday, and how far ahead?
- Who do I tell if I am ill, and by when?
5. Pay and expenses (check locally)
- When is payday?
- How do I claim expenses?
6. Equipment and security
- What equipment do we provide?
- What are the rules on passwords and devices?
7. Data protection and confidentiality (check locally)
- How do we handle customer and staff data?
- What must stay confidential?
8. Respect and conduct (check locally)
- What behaviour do we expect?
- How do I raise a concern, and with whom?
9. Health and safety (check locally)
- Who is responsible for safety?
- What do I do in an emergency?
10. Learning and feedback
- How do 1:1s and reviews work?
- Is there a training budget?
11. Leaving the company (check locally)
- How much notice do I give?
- What happens to equipment and accounts?
12. Where to find things
- Where are the key files, tools and contacts?
- Who do I ask when I do not know?
Tips
- Write it the way you talk. Plain sentences beat policy language.
- Keep each section short. Link to longer documents where needed.
- Review it once a year, and log what changed.
- Ask new people what was missing after their first month.