At the core of any successful business is having a robust documentation process. Whether you’re a start-up, a small team or large corporate, keeping and maintaining proper HR documents is a must. It plays a significant role in the admin of any business and acts as a record of your activities and events.
Employers also have a legal obligation to detail and keep employee records for seven years. The records must be readily available, especially wages in case a Fair Work inspector knocks at your door.
The question many business owners ask is, where do we start? What HR documents are a must? In this blog, we share the essential documents to have under your business belt.
Employment contracts — get it in writing
An employment contract is a written or verbal agreement between an employer and an employee. All employees are covered by the National Employment Standards (NES), regardless of whether they’ve signed a contract or not. A contract cannot be worse off than the NES.
Positive HR strongly recommends having a written agreement as it helps to minimise any confusion — and a lot of headaches later on. Having something written down sets clear obligations and commitments for both parties.
The most common employment contracts are:
- Full-time contract
- Part-time contract
- Casual contract
- Contractor
The handiest book is…the employee handbook
An Employee Handbook is usually handed to an employee on the first day of work. Having one not only helps to minimise legal risks, but it also provides assurance to your employees. An employee handbook clearly communicates all your policies, procedures and expectations. Importantly, it ensures consistency across your business and encourages the desired workplace environment.
As every business is unique, when you download Positive HR’s Employee Handbook, we will customise and curate the policies in the handbook.
Recruitment and onboarding documents
The recruitment process has many stages, from interviewing, reference checking, making the offer and onboarding your new starter. This process needs to be documented.
Positive HR has a few templates to make your recruitment and onboarding easier:
- Reference check form – to help you do your due diligence before making the offer
- Position description – provides a clear outline of the duties and responsibilities expected of your employee
- Onboarding checklist – a comprehensive checklist to make sure your new employee feels welcome and onboarded properly
Performance management — feedback is a gift
Everyone wants to do a great job — and doing a great job requires frequent and constructive feedback. A performance appraisal aims to provide positive feedback as well as outline opportunities for improvement.
People also want to feel valued at work, so a performance appraisal should also aim to recognise and reward employees who go above and beyond.
Positive HR recommends having an appraisal at 8 weeks, 20 weeks, 6 months and at 12 months of Employment. After that, many businesses complete one every 6 months (or as an when needed).
Save the stress and get the complete HR document solution —
the Bulletproof HR Business Pack for only $1,990
No matter if you’re a start-up or an established business, the HR Bulletproof Business Pack can help with your success for years to come.
Positive HR ensures your business practices are compliant with Australian law and your industry regulations. This essential pack will be customised to suit your business requirements and documents you need. Some examples of inclusions are;
- Employment Contracts
- Award and Pay Rate Audit
- Employee Handbook
- OH&S Manual
- Terms of Engagement
- Contractor or Casual Conversion Letters
- Performance Appraisal Templates
- On-site Education with Employees
Our documents are legally legit and have been produced in consultation with our Legal team to keep you and your business protected. If you have any questions about our documents, please book a free consult.
