Article: The employee handbook should be accessible and easy to read for every employee with a tone that is conversational rather than formal or stiff. Try to appeal to every employee by using a tone that is approachable and clear. You can do this by imagining the handbook is a conversation you are having with an employee as an employer. You should use a tone that is clear and friendly when you are talking to your employee, and stay away from formal or stiff language. Labor laws can be complex but this does not mean your employee handbook has to be littered with verbiage or jargon. Instead, go for clear language and simplified terms. Having legal terms that are difficult to understand may not protect your company legally in the end and will only alienate the employees that are reading the handbook. You should try to avoid using formal terms like “management” or “authority.” Instead, use “we” or “employer” so the employee does not feel overwhelmed. You want the tone to sound casual, as your employees are more likely to read the handbook in full if it appears friendly and engaging. Avoid putting in guidelines in the handbook that are overly demanding or unreasonable. You want the handbook to act as a useful guide for your employees and do not want to create rules that are difficult or impossible to achieve. You should also try to keep the handbook short and sweet, with just enough information to fulfill the state requirements for employee handbooks. You do not want to overwhelm your employees with information or with strict rules that are hard to follow. Your employee handbook is a crucial document that could be used in a legal dispute later by your employees. You should get the handbook reviewed by a lawyer or a legal review to make sure your wording is clear and you are not making your company liable for any legal issues in the future. Once it has been cleared by the legal review, it will be ready to distribute to new and current employees at your company.

What is a summary?
Maintain a conversational tone. Avoid jargon or complex language. Stick to achievable rules and guidelines. Get the handbook reviewed by a lawyer before using it.