10 Must-Have HR Policies For Small Businesses: Work Health and Safety Policy

10 Must-Have HR Policies for Small Businesses
Work Health and Safety Policy

Workplace injuries can affect your business in a number of ways including decreased
productivity, sick pay obligations and the cost of finding a replacement. WHS policies highlight
safety procedures and the responsibilities of all employees to keep the workplace safe.
Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Policy

Did you know an employer can be held legally responsible for acts of discrimination or
harassment in their business? In order to minimise this risk, the business must show they have
taken all reasonable steps to prevent discrimination or harassment from occurring. However in
the absence of a comprehensive policy, this is almost impossible!
Having a policy in place communicates clearly to employees what constitutes bullying, sexual
harassment, discrimination and any other form of inappropriate behaviour at work. A good policy
will also outline procedures for dealing with complaints.
Code of Conduct
A Code of Conduct is important for setting the standards of behaviour you expect from your
employees. Common issues such as dress code, mobile phone use, punctuality and the use of
company property will be included in a Code of Conduct.
By outlining unacceptable behaviour and educating employees on business values through a
policy, you are in a better position to manage unacceptable conduct in the workplace if and
when it arises.
Drug and Alcohol Policy

The use of drug and alcohol during and outside of work hours can present significant safety
risks and costs to your business through injuries, absenteeism and lost productivity. A drug and
alcohol policy can promote and maintain a risk-free work environment while outlining the rights a
business to test employees for drug-use.
Leave Policy
For businesses that experience seasonal busy periods, a leave policy can be extremely
valuable. A leave policy can include ‘blackout’ periods during busy periods with increased notice
periods for employees applying for leave, to ensure you aren’t understaffed.
Grievance Policy
Most businesses will have to deal with a workplace dispute at some point. Having a grievance
policy in place acts as an important tool for employees to understand what steps they should
follow when handling a complaint.
Performance Counselling and Discipline Policy

Performance management is a common practice within any business, but can often be a
delicate process. A policy will assist you in remaining compliant with requirements of procedural
fairness and provide guidance on how unacceptable conduct will be dealt with.
Internet and Email Policy

With the increased use of technology in businesses, it is important to manage inappropriate
internet usage. An internet and email policy will define what is inappropriate use of company
computers and internet resources, as well as the consequences an employee may face for
breaching the policy.
Social Media Policy

Social media use is rapidly increasing and becoming incorporated into our working lives. A
social media policy is essential to protecting your company’s reputation, especially if employees
list their place of employment on their profiles. On social media, lines between professional and
personal networks can become blurred, so it is a good idea to let employees know that how they
behave on social media reflects on the business, and therefore will be regulated.
Privacy Policy
Employers have a responsibility to safeguard the personal information of employees and
customers. Therefore, businesses must have a policy in place articulating how their private
information is used and managed. A privacy policy makes it clear what information is allowed to
be made public and what is required to stay private or within the walls of the company. A privacy
policy should include employee health records and personal information such as addresses,
phone numbers and emails.
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SUBJECTS COVERED BY COMPANY HR POLICIES

Small business owners should make sure that they address the following basic human resource
issues when putting together their personnel policies:
 Equal Employment Opportunity policies

 Employee classifications
 Workdays, paydays, and pay advances
 Overtime compensation
 Meal periods and break periods
 Payroll deductions
 Vacation policies
 Holidays
 Sick days and personal leave (for bereavement, jury duty, voting, etc.)
 Performance evaluations and salary increases
 Performance improvement
 Termination policies
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I recommend that these policies include:
 Equal employment
 Antidiscrimination and harassment
 Employment at will
You should make it clear to all employees that ethical behavior, equal opportunity, and respect
for other employees are key to the employment relationship. Similarly, you should state that
either party can end employment at any time and that no policy constitutes a contractual
obligation to employees on the part of the company. Lastly, it should be clear that the company
reserves the right to change any policy at any time.
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As a small business owner, you face a variety of risks, especially as you begin to work with
more clients and hire employees. Your business deals with a certain amount of liability each day
and you can reduce some of that liability by having your policies clearly outlined in writing.
With so much to do, maintaining an extensive policies and procedures manual can be tricky.
Luckily there are many templates available to get you started, especially if your policies are
internal. You can refine these templates for your specific needs and update them as your
business grows. Here are six basic policies your business should have in place before you add
another client or hire additional employees.
1.) Workplace Safety Policies

Whether your business operates in a factory or a standard office complex, anyone who steps
onto your property faces some level of risk. A data entry worker could develop carpal tunnel
syndrome while in your employ. Your company vice president could injure himself moving a
computer from one office to another. By putting workplace safety policies in place, you can help
mitigate any damages caused by an employee's negligence.
2.) Disciplinary Policies

Occasionally you'll have the need to terminate an employee. When that occasion arises, you'll
have a much more straightforward experience if the employee has been cautioned about the
process. If your expectations for performance are outlined in the employee's initial job
description, you can show a history of problems by detailing those issues in regular evaluations
and write-ups.
3.) Device Use Policies

You may not realize that as an employer, you could be held responsible for the actions of those
in your employ. That means if one of your workers conducts illegal activities on one of your
systems, you may be answerable for it. Businesses protect themselves against liability in these
instances by having a clearly written usage policy that outlines what workers can and cannot do
on devices connected to your network.
4.) Work Hours and Turnaround Time

In the early days, your policies may relate more to your business processes than your team,
since you won't have a robust team starting out. One important first step should relate to your
availability, including your working hours. Studies showthat customers prefer talking to live
customer service representatives. Will you be available for calls or emergency concerns after
hours or are you only available during business hours? Set those expectations up front to avoid
disappointment on either end.
Your turnaround time for each request should also be outlined in the beginning. Whether your
business handles graphic design or pest control, you should have a clearly outlined policy
regarding response time. If a customer or client asks that you dramatically reduce that response
time, you should also have a written policy in place to cover whether this will incur an extra
charge.
5.) Late Payment Policies

Before you do your first job, you should create a payment process for the work you'll perform.
How will you invoice your clients and what forms of payment will be accepted? Set a grace
period for payments to be made before a small service charge is added. Many businesses allow
30 days from the time of invoice for the payment to be made before they begin sending late
payment notices.
6.) Return/Refund Policies

If your business is a retailer or e-commerce business, you should have a return policy clearly
posted on your website or store signage. If you put a strict return policy in place, ask yourself
whether you plan to stand firmly behind that policy or capitulate for those customers who
escalate a complaint up the chain of command. Refunds are still a possibility for service-
oriented businesses, even though there is no product to resell. Many businesses offer
satisfaction guarantees to lure new business in. While you likely won't be able to offer a 100
percent money-back guarantee, you should consider how you'll handle things when a client or
customer is dissatisfied with your work.
Written policies are a great way to protect yourself, while also providing a safe, fair working
environment for your employees. While written policies won't completely eliminate the issues
you'll face as a business owner, they will provide an element of protection as you hire new team
members and work with clients.

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10 Must-Have HR Policies for Small Businesses

Work Health and Safety Policy

Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Policy

Drug and Alcohol Policy

Performance Counselling and Discipline Policy

Internet and Email Policy

Social Media Policy

SUBJECTS COVERED BY COMPANY HR POLICIES

 Equal Employment Opportunity policies

1.) Workplace Safety Policies

2.) Disciplinary Policies

3.) Device Use Policies

4.) Work Hours and Turnaround Time

5.) Late Payment Policies

6.) Return/Refund Policies

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