ENSURING YOU HAVE AN EFFECTIVE HR POLICY IN PLACE                                  

Introduction

Whilst many companies focus on ensuring there is adequate contractual agreements in place, it is equally important to ensure that there are effective HR policies and procedures in place. Ensuring the HR policies and procedures are in place and above standard, ensures that there is fairness, consistency, control and structure within the company. It further allows employees to be aware of their rights and responsibilities, as well as the expectations of the employer.

HR MANUAL

The HR policy essentially serves as a manual for employees regarding all things relative to the employer including codes of conduct, employee benefits, standard practices and more. However, each HR Manual is customized to the needs of the employer. These are set up in such a way that will ensure the employer is complying with the labour laws of South Africa as well as effectively communicating its policies and procedures to its employees. There are numerous policies and procedures that can be contained in your HR Manual / Policies, namely:

Absenteeism PolicyAccess Control ProceduresEmployment Equity PolicyAlcohol and Substance Abuse PolicyCode of ConductConfidentiality PolicyComputer Use PolicyDisciplinary Policy and ProcedureGrievance Policy and ProcedureHealth and Safety PolicyIT PolicyLeave PolicyPerformance Management PolicyPOPI PolicyRecruitment and Selection PolicySocial Media PolicyTraining and Development PolicyWhistleblower Protection Policy.

Once these policies have been implemented, they must be readily accessible to all employees within the company. The format and content of the policies must therefore be in a manner that enables it to be readily understood by all employees. All employees must further acknowledge that they have read and understood the policies of the company as well as when the policies are updated.

Does my company need a HR Policy?

You may be asking yourself, as a small business do I really need to put this in policy? The answer is easy, yes! By implementing a HR policy in your business from the get-go can alleviate the potential disputes that may arise from unhappy employees. An effective company will deal with things proactively rather than only implementing adequate policies and procedures only once the need arises, ensuring that there is a consistent approach to the employees of the company. To ensure that your policies and procedures are applied in a fair and consistent manner, employers are urged to produce and implement a written record of their HR Policies and procedures.

Conclusion

An effective HR policy also supports the company’s corporate governance policy in order to adopt a healthy environment and to prevent any legal disputes from arising. Employers must ensure that once the policies have been implemented, that they are regularly reviewed for compliance with legislation and to ensure that all employee and management alike are trained on the policies and procedures. 

For all your HR related needs contact our team at SchoemanLaw today.

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