You already know that running a business can be a challenge. It takes a lot of work to keep all of your plates spinning – balancing customers, employees, operations and cash flow against your long-term goals for growth. To help keep things moving forward in a positive direction, we offer you this special 2019 Business Planning Guide. Whether you use it as a reminder, a to-do list or plan of attack in preparation for the year ahead, we hope the information will further your success.
ο Review your employee handbook. If you don’t have one, you can check out NFIB Small Business Legal Center’s Model Employee Handbook, which has policies your small business can adapt and use.
ο Take an inventory of the required information you need to provide your team members. At the very least, your handbook should contain:
- Employment at-will disclaimer and statement on equal employment opportunity
- Policy prohibiting unlawful discrimination and harassment
- A section describing your policy for use of company property, privacy rules, and social media
- A section on employment classification and overtime rules
- A policy on family and medical leave (if you have 50 or more employees)
- A section on safety
- Disciplinary guidelines
ο Be sure your company policies and procedures are updated. In addition to privacy rules, drug use, and dress code, the handbook should outline explicitly what employees can and cannot do with company property, like equipment, tools, vehicles, telephones, computers, and software. Other commitments and statements in this section could include an updated social media policy, a drug/alcohol-free environment policy, and an open-door policy (where employees are free to bring forward any concerns or problems they might have). It should also include clear statements about disciplinary action that results if any parts of these policies are violated.
ο Consider revising your leave and attendance policies. First, be sure they are current with the daily-to-day practice within your organization. Second, are they appropriate to attract the types of workers you want? If you have a tough time attracting new employees, you might consider allowing for flextime, job sharing and other considerations, then revise these policies accordingly.
For more business planning checklist items, see our Facilities and Equipment checklist, Tax and Legal checklist, Online Reputation checklist, Website checklist, and Business Values checklist.
To print an easy checklist of the full 24-points, click here.
