CIPD - HR policies and procedures: which to consider?

HR practice

Originally issued October 2004; latest revision July 2007

This factsheet gives introductory guidance. It:

highlights the main policies and procedures that organisations need to consider
looks at formatting a policy and sources of information
includes the CIPD viewpoint.

Introducing HR policies and procedures gives organisations the opportunity to offer a fair and consistent approach to managing their staff. For more on why HR policies are introduced, see our factsheet HR policies and procedures: why introduce them?

Go to our factsheet on HR polices and procedures: why introduce them?

Research by the CIPD into performance at work has identified 11 policy or practice areas that are crucial to effective people management and development:

recruitment and selection
training and learning/development
career opportunities
communication
employee involvement
teamworking
performance appraisal
pay satisfaction
job security
job challenge/job autonomy
work-life balance.

Not all policies and procedures will be relevant to all organisations, and some policies are required by law while others are to promote good practice. Many of our other factsheets cover what should be included in a particular policy, and for CIPD members, our law FAQs have fuller details on legal requirements.

The following paragraphs indicate the range of possible policies which apply during the employment life cycle - more detailed information and the legal requirements on each of these areas is included in our CIPD Policies and Procedures for People Managers¹ and on employment law in CIPD Employment Law for People Managers².

Beginning employment

Recruitment and selection

Successful recruitment depends on finding people with the necessary skills, expertise and qualifications to deliver organisational objectives and who have the ability to make a positive contribution to the values and aims of the organisation. A diverse workforce that reflects customer groups in the local community should be encouraged.

Elements to consider when forming a recruitment policy:

job profile/person specification
dealing with job applications - whether to use hard copy and/or online forms; confidentiality
recruitment advertising - discrimination pitfalls
selection techniques - training and validation
interviews
references
medical examinations
asylum and immigration
documentation
job analysis
equal opportunities monitoring
return on investment (ROI)/cost.

There's more information on the website via our Recruitment and talent management subject pages.

Go to our Recruitment and talent management subject pages

Induction

Designing an appropriate and cost-effective induction programme is a complex task. The programme has to find a balance between providing all the information new employees need without overwhelming or diverting them from integrating into the team.

The length and nature of the induction process will depend on the complexity of the job and the background of the new employee.

Elements of an induction policy:

organisation information - background and structure; departments; products and services; physical layout
terms and conditions - hours of work; holidays, travel policy
financial - pay; bonuses; overtime; pensions
culture and values - communication
rules and procedures - data protection; email and Internet usage; equal opportunities; use of mobile phones
health and safety - first aid; smoking; environmental aspects
training
trade unions
welfare, benefits and facilities - alcohol and drugs; employee assistance programmes.

Organisations may find it useful to have checklists that cover the pre-employment period, the first day, the first week, the first month and the end of the probationary period (if applicable) to make sure everything has been explained.

There's more information on the website via our Induction subject page.

Go to our Induction subject page

During employment

Employee relations looks at the partnership between employee and employer, covering areas such as communication, grievances and discipline. It is equally important in both union and non-union situations. While employment law is closely linked with managing employee relations, a successful organisation won't just base its actions on compliance with the law - exploring the concept of the psychological contract, based on trust between employee and employer, may also be useful.

Policies and procedures that organisations may introduce include:

health and safety
disciplinary and grievance
maternity and paternity leave and pay
redundancy
absence
whistleblowing
performance management
recognition agreements (union and other)
time off and leave for trade union activities, holidays, secondment, volunteering, eldercare, childcare, bereavement
communication and involvement, including employee voice
harassment and bullying.

There's more information on many of these issues on the website via our HR practice, Health, safety and wellbeing and Employment law subject pages.

Managing diversity

Diversity runs through all aspects of an organisation's policies. Managing and valuing diversity is central to good people management and makes good business sense, so it also makes sense for diversity to be integral within all policies. A diversity policy sets out the organisation's vision and values in relation to diversity. It will often include the remit of polices, the processes for taking action, who is responsible and the training available.

The basic premise is that people should be valued as individuals and for reasons related to business interests, as well as for moral and social reasons. A more diverse workforce is likely to offer a wider range of skills and experiences and greater flexibility to meet business challenges.

Elements of a diversity policy:

gender/sex equality
race equality
sexual orientation
religion
age
appearance/accent
formats and accessibility of policies and procedures.

There's more information on the website via our Diversity and equality subject pages.

Go to our Diversity and equality subject pages

Learning, training and development

Roles and responsibilities are constantly changing, so employees will need to continually renew and refresh their skills and competences through training. This can happen in the course of normal working (on-the-job training) or away from the workplace (off-the-job training).

Some training is mandatory to comply with legal requirements, such as health and safety or finance.

Elements of a learning and development policy:

the organisation's vision for learning and development
opportunities available, including secondment, career breaks, courses, coaching, mentoring
who to ask to get authorisation for training
support given for learning opportunities
development reviews and personal development plans
payment of professional fees
training available for 'peripheral' workers ie contractors, temporary staff
record-keeping and administration
continuing professional development and personal development allowances (if these are not part of the employee benefits statement)
follow-up actions and transfer of learning to work.

There's more information on the website via our Learning and development subject pages.

Go to our Learning, training and development subject
pages

Reward

Effective reward practices and procedures can underpin activities in recruitment, retention, turnover and engagement. Effective implementation and communication are essential for initiatives to succeed.

Reward policies should be clear and simple so that employees know what's expected of them and what they can expect to receive in return.

Elements of a reward policy:

the organisation's vision for reward, including market rates, extra responsibility allowances
how jobs are graded or evaluated
pensions/additional voluntary contributions
permanent health insurance/critical illness cover
bonuses and incentive pay
benefits and non-cash recognition
company cars
sick pay
pay reviews
equal pay.

There's more information on the website via our Pay and reward page.

Go to our Pay and reward subject pages

Complementary policies

Other policies that organisations may want to consider in relation to employment include:

a mission or values statement
parental leave
work-life balance/family-friendly work practices
disability
well-being and 'wellness'
green/sustainable development
the employment of relatives/friends
conflict of interest, including personal relationships
second jobs
confidentiality
bad weather/climate conditions
relocation
suggestion schemes.

Ending employment

There are many reasons why employment ceases, from voluntary resignation to dismissal or redundancy.

Areas to consider for ending employment include:

dismissal
redundancy
voluntary resignation
retirement - retirement age; pre-retirement courses; phased retirement options
end of a short-term contract
end of a probationary period
death in service.

Exit surveys can record information about why employees say they are leaving. But the data is not always reliable. Another way to discover the reasons why is through opinion surveys during employment.

Formatting a policy

Policies should be written in plain English, so that they are user-friendly and easily understood by all employees.

The culture of the organisation and the complexity of the policies will dictate the format. Options include:

separate manager and employee manuals
all policies available on an intranet
key policies on notice boards.

Policies should also indicate who to go to with queries about the content and who is responsible for updating and reviewing them.

Sourcing information

When developing policies and procedures there are many sources of information available. The following list gives an indication of further help but is not an exhaustive list.

From CIPD

For members, our library resources and online journals can be accessed online, and networking opportunities include branches, communities of practice and special interest forums.

View information on searching our resources

For non-members our conferences, exhibitions, books, training courses and in-company solutions can provide assistance.

Other resources

Some organisations make their policy manuals available on the Internet. These are a good starting point, but the reliability of the source (country of origin, date of production, size of organisation, culture etc) should be assessed.

Many commercial organisations offer ready-made solutions, usually for a fee, which can be tailored to suit individual organisations. But again the reliability of the source should be assessed.

CIPD viewpoint

HR policies and procedures can help organisations to develop fair and consistent approaches to managing and developing people and can protect against legal claims, for example, sex discrimination. They can provide all employees with guidance about their own and the organisation's responsibilities and can prevent wasting time and resources.

Policies need to have purpose and should link into an overall organisation strategy. Small organisations will have a small selection of policies and procedures. As an organisation grows, others need to be added. They should be clear and consistent, written in plain English and communicated to all employees. They must be easily accessible and regularly reviewed to ensure they are fit for purpose.

But, no matter how well the policy is written and communicated, it is the implementation, particularly by line managers, that is crucial in the policies and procedures being really effective.

References

JACKSON, T. (2004) CIPD policies and procedures for people managers. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Further information is available at: http://www.cipd.co.uk/policiesandproceduresforpeoplemanagers
LEWIS, D. and SARGEANT, M. (2003) CIPD employment law for people managers. London: CIPD. Further information is available at: http://www.cipd.co.uk/elpm

Journal articles

Choosing the right model: off-the-peg HR policies. (2000) IRS Employment Review. No 713, October. pp11-16.

Developing HR policies: a case of reinventing the wheel? (2001) IRS Employment Review. No 740, 19 November. pp7-15.

KINNIE, N., HUTCHINSON, S. and PURCELL J. (2005) Satisfaction with HR practices and commitment to the organisation: why one size does not fit all. Human Resource Management Journal. Vol 15, No 4. pp9-29.

This year's model: policies for sale. (2001) IRS Employment Review. No 723, March. pp11-16.

This factsheet was written and updated by CIPD staff.

Bookmark and share

What are these?