The name may sound old-fashioned, but regardless of what you call it, the employee handbook is an essential piece to your cannabis operation and can be very crucial to the overall success of your business. In addition to operational information, the handbook can provide employees with a clear sense of your company culture, set expectations for all new hires, and, if maintained, serves as a resource for existing team members. In a nutshell, it establishes consistency. You are not legally obligated to have an employee handbook. But it’s good business practice. Still not convinced you need a handbook? Take a look at the list below and learn four reasons why you need one immediately.
Protects your investment Implementing a non-compete clause with your team protects all the hard work, time, and investment put into your operation. This is especially important for growth and extraction operators with propriety processes or products. Be upfront with your team and ensure they understand the importance of the document.
Introduces your new hires to the company culture Excite, inspire, and give your new hire a sense of pride. That’s a no-brainer. This is cannabis and your team is shaping a new industry. It’s kind of a big deal. This tactic will set the tone of the entire book. Don’t just skim through your core values. Share your company history, introduce new hires to your founders, and highlight the culture you’ve worked so hard to create.
Allows you to set real expectations Set your team up for success by setting the ground rules early. Ensure they know and understand how you expect them to behave and perform while on – and off – the job. Communicate what will happen if they do well and if they fall short of your expectations. In addition to benchmarks, you should address time off requests, time reporting, filing complaints, internal theft procedures, or workplace violence. You should have an action plan in place in case things don’t go as well as you’d like them to.
Lays out a clear chain of command Small or large, starting up or opening location number two, you should have a clear chain of command or organizational chart. Doing so creates transparency and a deeper understanding of how each member contributes, and it ensures that your team knows who to approach with issues internally. With a properly executed handbook, each employee will become familiar with the various aspects of working within your organization. It will also help them understand what to expect while working on the operation. Lastly, get creative and ditch the boring PDF. Make your handbook attractive and engaging. No one wants to read 129 pages of corporate jargon. We promise it won’t undermine the seriousness of the book or the content provided. But stepping outside the box shows that you care and that it’s important to you. But these aren’t the only reasons you should develop an employee handbook. There’s more, and our team is poised and ready to help.
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