This article contains a number of useful tips to help you through the process of writing an employee handbook, but above all remember that it should be accessible to all members of staff, so try to consider this as you develop your content.

avoid jargon

Employee handbooks should be easy to understand, so avoid using unexplained corporate jargon or buzzwords. If this is technical work and a good foundation in corporate jargon is essential, be sure to explain terms clearly and provide a glossary of terms at the back of the manual for quick reference.

Take a step-by-step approach

Employee handbooks should follow a logical structure and the basics should be introduced first before moving on to more complex topics. Taking a step-by-step approach allows the employee to work through the stages logically in their minds and helps them better understand processes and procedures. Be sure to include each step without missing any key points, and use numbers to differentiate each step in the process.

Keep it clear and concise

Try to avoid long, rambling paragraphs, but rather make sure the information is presented clearly and concisely. Try to keep paragraphs short so the manual is quick and easy to refer to.

spelling and format

Make sure the handbook is properly checked for spelling and grammatical errors – remember this will be seen by all employees!

Use a font size of at least 12 to make the manual easy to read, especially since older employees or people with visual impairments may have difficulty with smaller font sizes. Even better, make sure a large print version is available if needed.

Ask new staff what to include

If you have any staff members who have been with the organization less than 6 months, get their input on what would have been helpful to them in an employee handbook. They are likely to be the most useful source of information.

Delegate Chapters according to Specialties.

Different staff members will have developed different specialties within the organization over time. As such, it may be more beneficial to ask multiple employees to write different sections of the manual based on their experience. This way you can play to the strengths of individuals. Always make sure that one person is responsible for maintaining the style and readability of the manual.

Use of images and diagrams

As an individual we all learn in different ways, some people like the written word, others prefer pictorial media. Be sure to use images and diagrams to communicate key concepts and break up the monotony of the text.

Consider diversity issues.

The organizations are made up of a fascinating and vibrant mix of people from different cultures and also people with disabilities. It is essential that any employee handbook be accessible to everyone, so before writing the book, find out from your human resources department which nationalities are represented and whether any have a disability. If it could be that some staff members are vision impaired or blind, in which case your employee handbook should be easily readable in Braille. Also, particularly in multinational organizations, your manual will need to be translated into many languages, so you should avoid culture-specific references or jokes.

try the manual

Give a preliminary version of the manual to a friend or family member who knows little about your organization and ask them to read it and comment on how easy it is to use. If they can figure it out, chances are a new employee will too. Also print a dozen copies and give them to a select number of staff for testing. Ask for their feedback and use this information to update the manual. This is a particularly good idea because if they catch a crash or serious errors, you won’t have to recover hundreds or thousands of copies!