Human Resources Policies Paper

Human Resources policies are established to set clear rules and guidelines that affect and govern all employees. If not done correctly they can create an environment of confusion, low morale and the legal liabilities that they are designed to avoid. Human Resource Policies include topics/areas that affect all employees of a company. They may leave some discretion to departments but should mostly create a clear well-defined expectation of behavior, dress, benefits and other areas that affect the employee. These policies need to be clear to ensure that new employees understand the policy and expectation that the policy/benefit has on them. The policies should be written in a way that helps the employees understand the branding and values of the company. Human Resource Policy includes guidelines for the following areas:

• Federal and State Law- i.e. Equal Employment Opportunities

• Pay Classification

• Work Hours and the time work is to be completed

• Pay and overtime requirements

• Break and lunch periods

• Personal/Sick/Vacation Hours

• Other allowed time off such as Holidays

• Performance Evaluations and pay raises

• Work habit and area expectations

• Termination Policies

When employees feel they have been treated unfairly the feelings can create a low morale throughout the workplace. It is important the policies include what is required by the State and Federal government as a right of an employee. This includes ensuring all policy is not a direct contradiction to those laws and regulations. Lastly it is important for these policies to be written in a way that aligns with company branding and values. Without that continued message employees could receive contradicting information that again can lead to low morale and uncertainty. This can lead to high employee turnover that makes retaining and recruiting employees