Everything you need to know about personnel policy

Many companies have an HR policy in place that explains employment conditions, working environment, IT policy in the workplace, etc. There are no requirements as such for what a company's HR policy should contain, but there are a number of points that we at Officeguru advise you to include in your HR policy. You can read more about them on this page, where we will also give you an example of a personnel policy and answer a number of commonly asked questions. If you read all the way down to the bottom, we hope to be able to equip you well - not for the cold winter months or wet bike rides home - but to formulate a good and easily understandable personnel policy for your company.

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What is a good HR policy?

A good HR policy clearly explains the procedures and guidelines that the workplace has in place. It's important to make sure your employees are aware of it and it should be easily accessible to everyone in the workplace so that there is no doubt about your HR policy. A good HR policy is one way to ensure a good workplace environment where employees feel seen and heard.

If your employees feel that there is a good HR policy in the workplace, they will find that it covers a wide range of employment law, health and safety issues. This creates a sense of predictability and, not least, a feeling of fair and equitable treatment of your employees. And after all, it's always a good idea to be good friends with your employees.

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When should a company have an HR policy?

There are no fixed rules for when a company should have an HR policy. But an HR policy has many benefits, so if you don't already have one, you should consider creating one. Most companies formulate an HR policy when it makes sense in terms of However, if you're a small business with few employees, it's still beneficial to have an HR policy - even if it only consists of a few points. The point is that as an employer, you send a signal to your employees that you take responsibility for ensuring that they are seen and heard in your company.

A personnel policy helps ensure that both management and employees have set procedures and guidelines to follow and a clear plan for who to refer to in different situations. Having a comprehensive HR policy is therefore a safeguard for both you and your employees. Part of the personnel policy includes the consequences of different situations in the workplace and what you as a company are doing to prevent them.

If you have an employee who calls in sick for longer or shorter periods, it's a good idea to have a clear HR policy. That way, your employee's focus can be on getting back on their feet, rather than worrying about what the company's policy is on sick leave. You may also find that at some point you're faced with an employee who needs to improve their skills in a particular field - in which case it's good for both you as a manager and the employee to have a personnel policy to refer to.

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Remember to involve your employees in the formulation of your HR policy

Often, the creation of a company's HR policy will be governed by a special committee or collaborative body. When you as a manager, the entire management team or HR team, help formulate your company's HR policy, it's important that the entire organization is involved, and this includes your employees who will be implicated by this HR policy in the future. There should be room for all of you to discuss the terms of the HR policy. This helps create transparency and a feeling that it is the company as a whole that has created your HR policy.

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Example on a personnel policy: What should your personnel policy say?

It's up to you to decide what should be included in your company's HR policy, but as mentioned earlier, there are a number of important points and areas that you should at least include in your HR policy. Below we give you an example of what an HR policy can include and some points to consider when drafting an HR policy for your company.

Occupational health and safety policy

Under the work environment policy, you should include rules and procedures for e.g.

• Bullying in the workplace

• Stress among employees

• Sick leave

• Health and well-being

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1. Bullying in the workplace

Most people can agree that bullying is completely unacceptable. Unfortunately, employees or workers in the workplace sometimes experience bullying. It can manifest itself in many different ways and it can just as easily be an isolated incident, but nonetheless, it is important that companies take this issue seriously.

It is therefore sensible, indeed essential, that you include the company's bullying policy in your personnel policy. It should state that bullying is not tolerated in the workplace, what the consequences of bullying in the workplace are, as well as a description of what to do if you are subjected to bullying and who to report it to. As a manager, you help shape your workplace and your employees should be able to trust that you take all issues equally seriously.

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2. Employee stress

Unfortunately, in recent years, we have seen an increase in stress among Danes across the country. Many of the people who suffer from stress get it in the workplace, often due to a poor psychological work environment and a lack of job satisfaction. Therefore, every company's personnel policy should include a section on employee stress, including:

• How the workplace prevents stress

• How stress is handled in the workplace

• Who a stressed employee should contact

• Any requirements for documentation from your own doctor

• Resuming work after sick leave

Once you've gone down with stress, getting back on your feet can be an uphill battle, and the last thing you need to worry about is how your workplace will react. That's why it's essential that the workplace creates a clear guideline, so that it's clear how the employee should react and not 'stress out' about it.

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3. Sick leave

It's important to have a section in your personnel policy that explains the rules regarding sick leave in the workplace. A sickness absence policy should set the framework for how the company prevents and handles both sudden, short-term and long-term illnesses. This helps to safeguard the company, but also the employees, as they need to feel that they are treated fairly and properly in the event of illness. A sickness absence policy can include:

• How the company prevents illness

• Procedures and guidelines for sick leave (both sick leave and return to work)

• Sickness absence interviews

• Resumption of work and return to the workplace

• Retention plan

Most employees don't like to call in sick from work, and it can be difficult to make the decision to ask for sick leave. That's why it's important that you as a company make sure that you take care of employees who may be sick for either short or long periods of time. A personnel policy can help employees focus on getting well again by setting out clear guidelines and procedures.

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4. Health and well-being

Overall health and well-being in the workplace is important for all employees to be able to function, feel good both mentally and physically, and perform their work optimally. To ensure proper health and well-being in the workplace, you should include in your personnel policy what measures you have taken to ensure that employees thrive and feel good in the workplace. This can be in the form of the office equipment you provide, any employee benefits, measures to prevent stress and other illnesses, the company's focus on job satisfaction and well-being, etc .

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Recruitment and dismissal policy

Any HR policy should include the two sub-policies of recruitment and dismissal. This helps create transparency and also ensures that employees in the workplace will feel that they are treated fairly and properly.

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Recruitment policy

Starting a new job can be a daunting experience, so it's a good idea for your company's HR policy to clearly explain how to best welcome your new colleague. Your recruitment policy should include how new employees are welcomed into the workplace. This could be in the form of, for example

• A plan for the training period

• An invitation to socialize

• The company's responsibility for, for example, IT equipment for the employee

• Setting up a new work email etc.

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Dismissal policy

It's never fun for anyone, either to be dismissed or to be the one to do it. But having some clear guidelines on how the procedure works can take the edge off the unpleasantness of a dismissal - both for the manager and the employee.
A dismissal policy can state, among other things:

• How and where the dismissal takes place, and who dismisses

• Plan for the actual process surrounding a dismissal

• Opportunities for recommendation

Competence development policy

Most people are familiar with performance reviews, and many companies have chosen to implement a competence development policy as part of their personnel policy to ensure that employees are constantly developing. This can include an overview of how the company tries to ensure general development in the workplace as well as an overview of different types of competence development, depending on what the employees need. This can be in the form of, for example:

• Attendance at conferences and seminars

• Opportunities to take courses or continuing education

• Opportunities for self-study and dedicated time for immersion

IT policy in the workplace

As most workplaces become increasingly digitalesed, the risk of IT security breaches increases and you don't want to let the wrong people inside your walls. An IT policy in the workplace ensures that all employees are aware of the correct handling of IT equipment, software systems and various online platforms, not to mention the use of the internet. It's important that you have an IT policy for employees as it helps secure both your systems and data - including personal data.

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An employee IT policy can include answers to questions such as:

• What are the security requirements in the company?

• Who can read which emails?

• What IT equipment can be used privately (if any)?

• Are there any special courses employees need to take in relation to IT security? 

• Who has access to various systems and data?

• What are employees allowed to do on social media, - and what are they not allowed to do?

Senior policy

Senior policy has become an important part of HR policy. It's about both trying to retain employees for as long as possible and planning for the retirement of older employees. This includes senior schemes and rules and procedures for when an older employee can be released from physically and/or mentally demanding work. A senior policy should also state whether and how a retired employee may still have a connection to the workplace.

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What is the difference between an employee policy and an employee handbook?

A personnel policy usually includes the more general rules and procedures in the workplace, while an employee handbook is more in-depth and explains routines, specific systems etc. At Officeguru, we always advise companies to have both an HR policy and an employee handbook, so that everyone within the organization - managers, supervisors and employees - are protected in the best possible way. It also helps shape the company and ensures that everyone is on board with the company's policies, values and initiatives. If you're interested in reading more about what an employee handbook is, you can do so here.

We hope you now feel well-equipped to formulate your own company's HR policy and help ensure you and your employees' well-being in the workplace in the future.