Retail stores largely depend on the skills of their employees to increase their sales and a pleasant environment means creating a good brand in front of your customers!
And the employer-employee communication is a major deciding factor when it comes to creating a good brand. To improve that communication, employee handbooks are used which act as a tool to communicate a company’s policies, mission, vision and almost everything that can possibly happen at the company.
Retail employee handbooks serve as retail policy guides for managers and supervisors and help them train employees accordingly. Whether it’s flexible hours or training to deal with customers, employee handbooks play a really important role. Now for a retail business, the handbook serves as a retail policy and procedure manual and must include policies that are important for the businesses success.
Here are a few important policies you need to include to your retail employee handbook:
1. Risk Management
Retail employees must learn risk management in order to prevent any significant losses to the business in case of an emergency because losses can be prevented but emergencies are always happening! So it is only going to make sense that you’re prepared for the situations. Include policies in your hand book that clearly mention what are the employees supposed to do in case of an accident ranging from someone getting injured at the job to accidentally starting a fire!
Employee handbooks will train the employees to learn about effective risk management and savings if significant losses to the business with clever thinking.
2. Harassment Policies
Harassment of all kinds whether from the fellow employees or customers needs to be avoided at all costs because it can create legal problems for the business. They have to have strict policies regarding harassment and procedures that need to be put forth in order to to deal with such cases. Employment law takes harassment very seriously and it is important that the employees feel safe in their working environment. So make sure to pay attention to employee assistance policies to avoid any misconduct!
3. Working Hour Rules
Working hours rules should be clearly defined in your retail employee handbook because they are considered an important part of employee law and are strictly monitored all over the state. This includes defining how much on average an employee needs to work a week and what is considered as overtime and home how much are they going to be paid for it. These rules help set expectations for the employees instead of creating problems later on because a smart business does not have time for misunderstandings! So make sure you clearly defined these rules in your retail employee handbook.
4. Employee Training Procedures
Different jobs require dealing with different equipment and it is important that the employees are trained and provided clear guidelines about how to use this equipment. Whether it is a credit card machine or a merchandise processor, learning to operate things is a part of risk management and safety procedures for the employees and the customers. Setting equipment handling guidelines in your handbook will also showcase how seriously you take the training of your employees and a business with trained and skillful employees will attract more customers and collaborators!
5. Customer Service Procedures
A retail business’s success absolutely depends on its customer service, because happy and returning customers mean flourishing business. Your employee handbook should have guidelines about how to deal with customers with courtesy and efficiently. They will not always be happy customers and customer service jobs are known to not always be rainbows and sunshine. Nobody wants to go to a business where the employees are rude and insensitive. You can include policies in your employee handbook that help the employees learn how to deal with customers with courtesy and patience. Because while working in a retail business, patience is key!
6. Maintaining Cleanliness and Order
No matter how much you spend on making your retail store look beautiful, if it is not kept clean it is not going to be appealing and will showcase the quality of your service as well. And it is important to make a good impression all the time. For that purpose your employee handbook should also include policies regarding maintaining cleanliness and housekeeping. Hiring a cleaning crew alone is not going to help, everybody has to maintain cleanliness on their part and keep order in the store. so including housekeeping policies is a good way to train your employees to play their part in keeping the business inorder and running effectively!
7. Dress Code
There are alot of reasons why a retail store needs well defined policies about a dress code for their employees. First of all it makes an impression on the customers if the employees are well dressed and looking professional. Professionalism is key for retail businesses whether it’s in the customer service or the dress code. It also promotes order and uniformity in the business and helps differentiate between the customers and the employees.
Make sure to include these policies in your employee handbook in order to avoid legal mistakes and keep the business running smooth and effectively through effective employee training. This will create a positive brand for the business and attract more customers!
