Finish the Handbook, Friend. It’s not a vibe, it’s a lifeline.
A humorous cartoon shows a “Google Doc Graveyard” with tombstones labeled “Handbook Draft v1,” “Policies (Final-ish),” and “Culture Statement TBD.” A tired HR professional walks through the fog holding a laptop and coffee, saying, “Finish. The. Handbook.” The muted colors and witty details capture the frustration and humor of unfinished HR projects.
Look - as your slightly frazzled, legally aware, and caffeine-fueled Millennial HR gal who’s built more employee handbooks than IKEA builds regrets - I need to say something loud and clear: Finish. The. Handbook.
Not just create it. Not just let it live in a Google Doc graveyard with a blinking cursor and sad “Draft” label. Not fill it with vague fluff like “We care about culture!” and “Be respectful :)” as your only policies.
I’m talking about a real-deal, legally defensible, clearly communicated, actually-used handbook. Because if I’ve had to write or revise 16 of them this year (true story), you know what that means?
Most of y’all still don’t have one. Or worse… you do, and it’s trash. Sorry, not sorry.
“Don’t be an a$$ ****” Is Not a Policy
Let me hit you with the stats - because data loves drama.
According to SCORE (aka the small biz whisperers), only 1 in 3 small businesses has an employee handbook. One. In. Three.
Meanwhile, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reports that well-drafted handbooks reduce legal risk, increase consistency, and boost employee trust.
And here’s the kicker: companies without clear policies are more likely to face lawsuits, especially around wage and hour issues, leave policies, and (surprise!) harassment and discrimination.
You know what doesn’t hold up in court? “We just kind of wing it.” Not a good look, Brian.
But Ours Is Just a “Small Team” - We Don’t Need One Yet, Right?
Wrong. Especially wrong if you’re growing. Or planning to. Or if you're even thinking about hiring someone outside your best friend/cousin/coworker’s nephew.
A handbook isn’t just for your 100th employee. It’s for your first. It sets the tone for:
Attendance expectations
PTO and sick leave (hello, Colorado Paid Sick Leave law)
Remote work boundaries (because “flexible” doesn’t mean “text me at 10pm”)
How to actually handle drama, complaints, and Chad is “Chad-ing” again
And - this one’s big - how you protect yourself as an employer
Without it? Every decision feels like you’re refereeing a middle school dodgeball game with no rules and a whole lot of opinions.
Don’t Just Write It. Use It.
If your employee handbook is sitting in a Dropbox folder no one opens - congratulations! You wrote a novel no one reads. Stephen King is shaking.
Your handbook should be:
Introduced on Day One
Signed and acknowledged (yes, in writing - I’m looking at you, verbal-only folks)
Revisited regularly - at least once a year. Labor laws change faster than TikTok trends.
And updated like it matters… because it does.
And please, PLEASE, don’t copy-paste from a 2012 boilerplate template you found online when googling. If your handbook still references mobile devices, cellular phones, or “the fax machine,” it’s time.
No Fluff. Just Facts.
A good handbook isn’t about “fun vibes” or “synergy.” It’s about clear expectations. Policies that protect everyone. And language that doesn’t make your lawyer’s eye twitch.
Keep it readable. Keep it human. But don’t water it down.
HR Pro Tip (aka: Please Learn From My Pain)
If you’re stuck in draft purgatory? You’re not alone. I see you, fellow perfectionists. But every day it sits unfinished is another day you risk confusion, conflict, or (worst case) a lawsuit that could’ve been avoided with one paragraph and a signature.
Finish it. Review it. Send it. Get it signed. Use it like it’s your manager rule book. Because whether you have 3 employees or 300 everyone plays better when they know the rules, clear is kind - and policies are power.
The Handbook Is the Hill I Will Die On
You’re not “too small” to need a handbook. You’re just too busy to realize it yet.
Fluffy, vague handbooks don’t protect anyone. Write it like it matters - because it does.
It’s not done until it’s signed. And it’s not helpful until it’s used.
I’ve done 16 this year. Four are still in draft because people ghost their HR like it’s Tinder. Don’t be that guy.
Final HR Blessing:
Make this the year you stop winging it. Your employees, your business, and Future You (the one who doesn’t want to spend $12K+ on legal fees) will thank you. I will too because I got 5 left in the Google Doc purgatory.