Should You Use an Employee Handbook Builder?

Is creating, updating, and keeping a compliant company handbook stressful? Drafting a federal- and state-compliant handbook is daunting for many business owners and HR professionals. It can take weeks of research, writing, formatting, and editing. But it doesn’t have to. An employee handbook builder can streamline the process. 

Employee handbook builders have customizable templates and policies, saving you precious time (and brainpower!) to pour into your business instead. 

What is an employee handbook? The basics

An employee handbook, or employee manual, is a company’s workplace policies, procedures, and guidelines. 

Employers share handbooks with employees and require acknowledgment to ensure everyone is on the same page. Employees can reference handbooks to learn everything from paid time off and your small business benefits package to anti-discrimination and harassment policies. 

Employee handbooks generally include key sections like:

Whether you’re a small business with one employee or a large corporation with thousands, an employee handbook is essential. 

Your handbook gives new employees a better understanding of your business, protects your business in the event of a lawsuit, and ensures compliance with federal, state, and local laws. 

How do I make an employee handbook?

You can create your employee handbook from scratch, outsource it to a professional, or use tools to help you. 

When creating an employee handbook, you can:

• Do it by hand
• Hire a small business lawyer
• Look at employee manual examples
• Use templates online
• Use an employee handbook builder 

Drafting your handbook can range from free to thousands of dollars depending on how you make it.

Making a handbook by hand or using free templates online is free but time-consuming. It could take you weeks to create a handbook. Consider the cost of your time. 

Factor in pricing if you hire someone (e.g., a lawyer) to draft your handbook. How much does it cost to have someone create an employee handbook? Handbook drafting services can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. 

On the other hand, an employee handbook builder guides you through creating, managing, and maintaining a compliant handbook, often at a fraction of the cost of hiring someone. Using an employee handbook builder can be a happy medium between the time it takes to draft a handbook by hand and the high cost of outsourcing. 

What is an employee handbook builder?

An employee handbook builder is a tool that guides you through creating, managing, and maintaining a federal- and state-compliant handbook. A builder streamlines and simplifies the HR processes of creating a compliant handbook for your business.

The builder includes pre-written templates and policies you can customize for your business. Handbook builders handle the legalese for you. 

Employee handbook builder features may include:

• Customizable templates and policies
• State-specific regulations
• Automatic updates when laws and regulations change 
• A simple way to download or print your completed handbook

Benefits of creating an employee handbook with a builder

Time savings, legal compliance, customization, and professionalism are benefits of using a handbook builder. 

Take a closer look at the employee handbook builder advantages:

• Time savings: A handbook builder provides pre-written sections you can customize for your handbook. This saves you time compared to creating a handbook from scratch. 
• Customization: Choose the sections you want to include in your handbook and customize them for your workplace policies and culture. 
• Legal compliance: Following federal, state, and local laws is key to avoiding hefty penalties and lawsuits. Handbook builders guide you through key sections that are federal- and state-compliant.  
• Professionalism: Handbook builders can help reduce errors, increase organization, and keep your handbook consistent. 

How much does a handbook builder cost?

The cost of an online employee handbook builder depends on what you use. For example, the SHRM handbook builder and BLR handbook builder cost $400. 

However, some HR solutions—like Patriot Software—offer a free employee handbook builder in the software. HR software is a tool businesses can use for employee management and compliance. In addition to the handbook builder, you get other HR software features like a compliance dashboard, benefits document creator, HR reports, and more. 

Build your employee handbook with Patriot’s HR!

Create, manage, and maintain a federal- and state-compliant handbook in Patriot’s HR software.

Learn More About Patriot HR

What can you do in Patriot’s handbook builder?

Patriot’s handbook builder provides a guided interface to create, manage, and maintain a federal- and state-compliant handbook. 

You can add, remove, or modify sections in the following categories:

Each category includes customizable policies and sections, such as direct deposit, attendance, use of employer credit card, and more.  

After you create your handbook using the builder, you can add a paperless copy to your HR software for small business or download and print it to share with your team. You’ll also receive notifications and automatic handbook updates if laws and regulations change. 

Patriot’s handbook builder is a free HR feature. However, you can upgrade your employee handbook if you have employees in multiple states or need a Spanish translation.

What else does Patriot’s HR software do?

An employee handbook builder is just one of the employee management and compliance features offered in Patriot’s HR software. Other HR features include:

The verdict: Should you use a handbook builder?

Yes! Drafting your employee handbook is an essential responsibility that requires attention to detail. Employee handbook builders offer the support you need at an affordable—or free—price. 

An employee handbook builder is suitable for business owners who want to save time while ensuring the handbook is professional and compliant. 

The best employee handbook builder is one that fits your business needs. When choosing a builder, consider the price and customization options available. For complete HR compliance and employee management, consider using an HR software solution with a free handbook builder. 

Put Patriot’s HR software—an optional add-on to our payroll—to the test when you sign up for a free trial! Enjoy all the features our HR software has to offer, including the employee handbook builder, compliance dashboard, HR reports, and so much more. Get started today!