Staff handbook<\/title><br \/>\n<\/head><br \/>\n<body><\/p>\n<h1>Staff handbook, policies and guidelines<\/h1>\n<h4>The workplace bible<\/h4>\n<p>An employee handbook serves several important functions, both for the employee and the employer.<br \/>\n Firstly, it has a <strong>practical function<\/strong> by ensuring that all employees are aware of<br \/>\n what applies to important issues such as holidays, working hours, pay and benefits. It acts as a simple encyclopedia<br \/>\n to get quick answers on workplace rules and guidelines.<\/p>\n<p>Secondly, a staff handbook has a <strong>labor law function<\/strong>. As a lawyer, one of the most important<br \/>\n questions often ask: \"Does the employee know what rules apply in the workplace?\"<br \/>\n By having a well-documented employee handbook, the employer can more easily prove that rules and policies have been clearly<br \/>\n communicated to workers. This is particularly important in labor disputes.<\/p>\n<p>It is also common for employers to include a clause in the employment contract stating that the employee<br \/>\n have read the Staff Handbook and accepted the rules and guidelines set out therein.<\/p>\n<h4>What should be included in a staff handbook?<\/h4>\n<p>There is no exact rule on what a staff handbook must contain - this is decided by the employer depending on the needs of the business.<br \/>\n However, it is common for the following areas to be covered:<\/p>\n<h4><strong>General guidelines and information<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Working hours:<\/strong> Rules on fixed working hours, flexitime and breaks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Semester:<\/strong> Information on how to apply for and be granted vacation days.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pension:<\/strong> Description of pension solutions offered to employees.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Insurance:<\/strong> the employer's responsibilities and what insurance covers staff<\/li>\n<li><strong>Salary:<\/strong> How and when the salary is paid, as well as what applies to fringe benefits.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Benefits and health care:<\/strong> What benefits are available, such as wellness allowances or discounts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Guidelines and policies<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Certification rules:<\/strong> Rules for the approval of expenditure and invoices.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Representation:<\/strong> What applies to business representation and costs that can be claimed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Work environment:<\/strong> Regulations on the working environment and how safety is maintained.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Alcohol and drugs:<\/strong> Guidelines on the use and prevention of alcohol and drug-related problems.<\/li>\n<li><strong>IT policy:<\/strong> Rules for using computers, email and the internet.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gender equality plan:<\/strong> Information on the employer's work on gender equality and equal treatment in the workplace.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h4>Policy and guideline complement each other<\/h4>\n<h4><strong>Policy<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Objective:<\/strong> A policy is an overarching framework that sets out what an organization wants to achieve and how it approaches certain issues.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Character:<\/strong> Policies are prescriptive and often more static - they rarely change and act as a framework for decision-making.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Example:<\/strong> A health and safety policy that clearly states that the employer shall ensure a safe and healthy working environment for all employees.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Guideline<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Objective:<\/strong> A guideline is a specific instruction or recommendation on how to practically follow and implement a policy.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Character:<\/strong> Guidelines are more flexible than policies and can be adjusted as needed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Example:<\/strong> A guideline specifying how health and safety inspections should be carried out and reported in the workplace.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Summary:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Policy:<\/strong> Setting up <strong>betting<\/strong> to be achieved and the overall principles.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Guideline:<\/strong> Focus on <strong>how<\/strong> the policy will be followed in practice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Therefore, policies and guidelines complement each other, with policies setting out the overarching rules and guidelines setting out how these rules should be implemented.<\/p>\n<h4>Tips for further reading<\/h4>\n<article data-id=\"10372\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lewlex.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/gdpr-400x267.jpg\" alt=\"GDPR\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" \/><\/p>\n<header>\n<h2>\n <a href=\"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/what-the-employer-does-to-comply-with-gdpr\/\" title=\"What employers do to comply with GDPR\"><br \/>\n What employers do to comply with GDPR<br \/>\n <\/a><\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<\/article>\n<article data-id=\"10369\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lewlex.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/visselblas-400x267.jpg\" alt=\"The Whistleblower Act\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" \/><\/p>\n<header>\n<h2>\n <a href=\"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/how-we-comply-with-whistleblower-law\/\" title=\"How do we comply with whistleblower laws?\"><br \/>\n How do we comply with whistleblower laws?<br \/>\n <\/a><\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/body><br \/>\n<\/html><\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","mpcs-curriculum-categories":[],"mpcs-curriculum-tags":[],"class_list":["post-12537","mpcs-lesson","type-mpcs-lesson","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mpcs-lesson\/12537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mpcs-lesson"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/mpcs-lesson"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"mpcs-curriculum-categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mpcs-curriculum-categories?post=12537"},{"taxonomy":"mpcs-curriculum-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mpcs-curriculum-tags?post=12537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

{"id":12537,"date":"2024-02-14T15:26:26","date_gmt":"2024-02-14T14:26:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arbetsgivarjuristen.se\/lessons\/3-7-personalhandbok-policies-och-riktlinjer\/"},"modified":"2025-03-12T21:06:26","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T20:06:26","slug":"3-7-staff-handbook-policies-and-guidelines","status":"publish","type":"mpcs-lesson","link":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/courses\/kurs-i-arbetsratt\/lessons\/3-7-personalhandbok-policies-och-riktlinjer\/","title":{"rendered":"3.7 Personnel manual, policies and guidelines"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n Staff handbook<\/title><br \/>\n<\/head><br \/>\n<body><\/p>\n<h1>Staff handbook, policies and guidelines<\/h1>\n<h4>The workplace bible<\/h4>\n<p>An employee handbook serves several important functions, both for the employee and the employer.<br \/>\n Firstly, it has a <strong>practical function<\/strong> by ensuring that all employees are aware of<br \/>\n what applies to important issues such as holidays, working hours, pay and benefits. It acts as a simple encyclopedia<br \/>\n to get quick answers on workplace rules and guidelines.<\/p>\n<p>Secondly, a staff handbook has a <strong>labor law function<\/strong>. As a lawyer, one of the most important<br \/>\n questions often ask: \"Does the employee know what rules apply in the workplace?\"<br \/>\n By having a well-documented employee handbook, the employer can more easily prove that rules and policies have been clearly<br \/>\n communicated to workers. This is particularly important in labor disputes.<\/p>\n<p>It is also common for employers to include a clause in the employment contract stating that the employee<br \/>\n have read the Staff Handbook and accepted the rules and guidelines set out therein.<\/p>\n<h4>What should be included in a staff handbook?<\/h4>\n<p>There is no exact rule on what a staff handbook must contain - this is decided by the employer depending on the needs of the business.<br \/>\n However, it is common for the following areas to be covered:<\/p>\n<h4><strong>General guidelines and information<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Working hours:<\/strong> Rules on fixed working hours, flexitime and breaks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Semester:<\/strong> Information on how to apply for and be granted vacation days.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pension:<\/strong> Description of pension solutions offered to employees.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Insurance:<\/strong> the employer's responsibilities and what insurance covers staff<\/li>\n<li><strong>Salary:<\/strong> How and when the salary is paid, as well as what applies to fringe benefits.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Benefits and health care:<\/strong> What benefits are available, such as wellness allowances or discounts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Guidelines and policies<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Certification rules:<\/strong> Rules for the approval of expenditure and invoices.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Representation:<\/strong> What applies to business representation and costs that can be claimed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Work environment:<\/strong> Regulations on the working environment and how safety is maintained.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Alcohol and drugs:<\/strong> Guidelines on the use and prevention of alcohol and drug-related problems.<\/li>\n<li><strong>IT policy:<\/strong> Rules for using computers, email and the internet.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gender equality plan:<\/strong> Information on the employer's work on gender equality and equal treatment in the workplace.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h4>Policy and guideline complement each other<\/h4>\n<h4><strong>Policy<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Objective:<\/strong> A policy is an overarching framework that sets out what an organization wants to achieve and how it approaches certain issues.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Character:<\/strong> Policies are prescriptive and often more static - they rarely change and act as a framework for decision-making.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Example:<\/strong> A health and safety policy that clearly states that the employer shall ensure a safe and healthy working environment for all employees.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Guideline<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Objective:<\/strong> A guideline is a specific instruction or recommendation on how to practically follow and implement a policy.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Character:<\/strong> Guidelines are more flexible than policies and can be adjusted as needed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Example:<\/strong> A guideline specifying how health and safety inspections should be carried out and reported in the workplace.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Summary:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Policy:<\/strong> Setting up <strong>betting<\/strong> to be achieved and the overall principles.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Guideline:<\/strong> Focus on <strong>how<\/strong> the policy will be followed in practice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Therefore, policies and guidelines complement each other, with policies setting out the overarching rules and guidelines setting out how these rules should be implemented.<\/p>\n<h4>Tips for further reading<\/h4>\n<article data-id=\"10372\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lewlex.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/gdpr-400x267.jpg\" alt=\"GDPR\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" \/><\/p>\n<header>\n<h2>\n <a href=\"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/what-the-employer-does-to-comply-with-gdpr\/\" title=\"What employers do to comply with GDPR\"><br \/>\n What employers do to comply with GDPR<br \/>\n <\/a><\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<\/article>\n<article data-id=\"10369\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lewlex.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/visselblas-400x267.jpg\" alt=\"The Whistleblower Act\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" \/><\/p>\n<header>\n<h2>\n <a href=\"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/how-we-comply-with-whistleblower-law\/\" title=\"How do we comply with whistleblower laws?\"><br \/>\n How do we comply with whistleblower laws?<br \/>\n <\/a><\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/body><br \/>\n<\/html><\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","mpcs-curriculum-categories":[],"mpcs-curriculum-tags":[],"class_list":["post-12537","mpcs-lesson","type-mpcs-lesson","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mpcs-lesson\/12537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mpcs-lesson"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/mpcs-lesson"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"mpcs-curriculum-categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mpcs-curriculum-categories?post=12537"},{"taxonomy":"mpcs-curriculum-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lewlex.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mpcs-curriculum-tags?post=12537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}