The Missing Handbook
Over my 25+ year career, I’ve worked in both private industry and as a public servant in the Intelligence Community. In all those years, I never once received an employee handbook. Neither the companies nor the federal agencies had taken the time to invest in a handbook.
Now, having spent the later part of my career focused on people, culture, and leadership, I see just how much that missing piece matters.
An employee handbook may seem like a small thing, yet it is one of the most basic and powerful tools an organization can provide. It gives employees clarity, leaders consistency, and organizations protection. Without it, everyone is left to guess.
Why Handbooks Matter
Clarity and Fairness
Employees deserve to know what’s expected of them and how decisions are made. A handbook makes those expectations transparent and applies them across the organization.Risk Reduction
Clear, compliant policies on conduct, harassment, leave, and performance protect both the organization and its people. Without them, leaders and employees are left exposed. The EEOC secures hundreds of millions of dollars each year in settlements; many tied to unclear or inconsistently applied policies.Culture in Writing
A handbook communicates values. It shows employees how the organization wants to operate and how people are expected to treat one another.Consistency in Leadership
Without a shared framework, managers rely on personal judgment. Standards shift from one leader to the next, which undermines organizational trust. A handbook provides a consistent guide for leaders.
When It’s Missing
In organizations without handbooks, the same patterns appear again and again:
Confusion about policies and procedures
Inconsistent decisions from one leader to another
Frustration among employees who feel the rules are unclear or unfair
Even with good intentions, fairness is difficult to achieve without a common foundation.
A Basic Yet Powerful Tool
Every company, no matter its size, benefits from a handbook. The best ones are:
Clear and written in plain language
Accessible to every employee
Updated regularly to reflect today’s workplace
Integrated into daily practice, not just a binder on a shelf
The best handbooks create clarity, build trust, and give everyone a common path forward.
How Faro Point Can Help
At Faro Point Consulting, we help organizations put this foundation in place. We design handbooks that are practical, compliant, and aligned with organizational culture. We make sure policies are clear and usable, and we train managers to put them into practice.
If your organization doesn’t have a handbook, or if yours hasn’t been updated in years, now is the time. The right handbook reduces risk, strengthens trust, and creates consistency.
