Establish Foundation

Vision & Mission statements

These statements are the foundation of your business. In a few select words, they describe why you are in business and how you plan on attaining goals. This is the footing that holds up the structure of your business.
It is vitally important for the business leader to be able to articulate these declarations, and equally important for your human resources to understand them. Why? It provides a connection from individual work to overarching goals. That knowledge and feeling of connection is what builds loyalty, commitment, and a sense of belonging. That, in turn, leads to higher engagement, productivity, and better outcomes all around.
My process for helping build these statements involves interviewing business leaders to discover key drivers, motivation, and business plans.

Core Values

Values are the behaviors and characteristics that support your business and serve as the foundation of your culture. It’s what you believe in and what you expect from your human resources. Crafting core value statements helps the team understand the behaviors everyone needs to align with to make the dream come true and to put your brand into action. In other words, to knock it out of the park!
This can’t be “fluff work”. It’s not a pretty poster to put on your website or hang on the office wall. Values are the glue that binds your team. Companies who take this seriously are better positioned to grow and handle bumps along the way. Your core values need life and are best used when incorporated into recruiting, feedback, and retention strategies and tools.
To craft your list, I’ll delineate what behaviors you believe in, what you won’t tolerate, and what you want to exploit. I’ll define them in a concise way that speaks to your organization’s personality and can be detected in everyday behaviors and decisions. I will also share drafts with key stakeholders to conduct test drives and incorporate feedback.

Policies and Procedures

A workplace without rules or standards to guide your human resources can be chaotic and is ripe to produce a perception of bias. A little bit of structure goes a long way. It also helps protect your business by avoiding unfair decisions, promoting a sense of fairness, and ensuring legal compliance.
My template of general policies and procedures will be used as a base to formulate what works best for your business. I’ll also incorporate specific items central to your business needs and culture.

Employee Handbook

This is essential for the team to learn about your company’s history and identity and will incorporate the aforementioned policies and procedures. It also serves as a guide for the team on performance and behavioral expectations.
My template will be used as a basis to mold your Handbook into a reflection of what your business is all about and what each team member can expect from their employment experience with you.