Meet Your Hosts:

Jill Windelspecht, President of Talent Specialists Consulting (executive coach, leadership expert & organization effectiveness consultant) and Stella Skaljac, President of ImagineHR (employment attorney/human resource consultant) bring over 40 years of combined experience and we are looking forward to sharing a cup of coffee and insights that will help you grow your leadership and your business!

Throughout our Workplace Coffee Talk series – “From Litigation to Inspiration!” – we look at each issue from an employment law and leadership lens. Being proactive and informed on key workplace trends and challenges will undoubtedly help mitigate potential liability, grow your business and create a more engaged and productive culture. You will receive practical takeaways and simple action steps that you can start implementing right away. 

Lets Give Handbooks a CHANCE!

This month’s coffee talk will feature A New Way to Write Employee Handbooks and what all modern-day employers should include and think about when drafting workplace policies. Employee handbooks get a bad rap and are considered “necessary evils” by both employers and employees. There is generally a feeling of consternation revolving around policies and procedures, particularly when handbooks are full of legalese and wordy text that sounds overly stodgy and formal. But it doesn’t have to be this way and there is a better method to writing employee handbooks!

On February 24, we will discuss why employers today need a more “balanced approach” to employee handbooks and how they can achieve this. There are certain “must haves” that are highly recommended in every handbook and policies necessary for legal protection purposes. However, there are ways to draft a handbook with a writing style that is upbeat and positive, providing new hires and current employees with a useful and reader-friendly tool that won’t feel heavy-handed. We will share a best practice framework for creating a more effective handbook that will enliven employees rather than make them feel stifled and mistrusted.

The pandemic has also prompted new thoughts around workplace policies – safety issues and remote work, for instance. It has also forced employers to dive deeper into what they are offering employees in terms of benefits and how they are communicating to candidates and employees during a time when recruiting is challenging and retention is at an all-time low. A simple, clear and customized handbook will do wonders for morale as well as highlighting policies on the company’s values and vision. The days of “you shall not… and you are prohibited from” are long gone. We need to inspire and empower employees and tell them what they can and should do… not focus solely on what they cannot do.