Some may think that an employee handbook is only for larger organisations, but it’s important for organisations of all sizes to have a robust employee handbook in Singapore. We go over what an employee handbook is for, and exactly what you should, and shouldn’t put in it.
Some may think that an employee handbook is only for larger organisations, but it’s important for organisations of all sizes to have a robust employee handbook in Singapore. We go over what an employee handbook is for, and exactly what you should, and shouldn’t put in it.
What Should be in an employee handbook?
While an employee handbook should be relatively concise and simple, there are still a wide range of topics to cover. While this is not a complete list of topics, and you will need to adjust for your own organisation, this should cover most bases for most organisations.
Please remember that any employee guidelines written for staff in Singapore must adhere to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) employment practices. Where appropriate, we have linked to official MOM guidelines.
Employee Benefits
Give an overview (where appropriate) off:
- - Health care.
- - Dental care.
- - Vision care.
- - Life insurance.
- - Who is eligible for what benefit/criteria for eligibility.
Make it clear that benefits may change frequently, and the information in this section is for general, rather than specific reference.
How Do I Write an Employee Handbook?
Beyond the handbook structure and contents above, it’s beneficial to keep the following in mind in your approach to writing an employee handbook:
- - Write with the notion in mind it is a guide for your employees, not a book of rules to be enforced upon them. Treat them as part of your team/family rather than just an employee.
- - Use language that is simple, and encourages positivity and proactivity. No industry jargon if possible.
- - To help simplify the document, be sure to use headings and subheadings clearly, along with short paragraphs. Use bullet points where possible to simplify further.
- - Treat your employee handbook as a living document that is subject to change as your organisation grows.
- - Above all, make sure you have your legal representation review your employee handbook every time you make changes to it. This is crucial to protect yourself from possible liability down the track.
How Long Should an Employee Handbook Be?
Contrary to the opinion of some, the length of an employee handbook should be the same for an SME right up to a large corporation — it’s important to cover all of your bases no matter the size of your operation.
In general, we recommend your employee handbook be between 30 and 50 pages. This way you can impart enough important knowledge without asking the reader to absorb too much information.
Read more about Singapore Employee Handbook at InCorp Global.
