Whether your business operates in a factory or a standard office complex, anyone who steps onto your property faces some level of risk. A data entry worker could develop carpal tunnel syndrome while in your employ. Your company vice president could injure himself moving a computer from one office to another.
Occasionally you'll have the need to terminate an employee. When that occasion arises, you'll have a much more straightforward experience if the employee has been cautioned about the process. If your expectations for performance are outlined.
You may not realize that as an employer, you could be held responsible for the actions of those in your employ. That means if one of your workers conducts illegal activities on one of your systems, you may be answerable for it. Businesses protect themselves against liability in these instances by having a clearly written usage policy that outlines what workers can and cannot do on devices connected to your network.
In the early days, your policies may relate more to your business processes than your team, since you won't have a robust team starting out. One important first step should relate to your availability, including your working hours. Studies show that customers prefer talking to live customer service representatives.
Before you do your first job, you should create a payment process for the work you'll perform. How will you invoice your clients and what forms of payment will be accepted? Set a grace period for payments to be made before a small service charge is added.
If your business is a retailer or e-commerce business, you should have a return policy clearly posted on your website or store signage. If you put a strict return policy in place, ask yourself whether you plan to stand firmly behind that policy or capitulate for those customers who escalate a complaint up the chain of command.
An employee conduct policy establishes the duties and responsibilities each employee must adhere to as a condition of employment. Conduct policies are in place as a guideline for appropriate employee behavior, and they outline things such as proper dress code, workplace safety procedures, harassment policies and policies regarding computer and Internet usage.
Equal opportunity laws are rules that promote fair treatment in the workplace. Most organizations implement equal opportunity policies -- anti-discrimination and affirmative action policies, for example -- to encourage unprejudiced behavior within the workplace. These policies discourage inappropriate behavior from employees.
