The importance of a comprehensive dental practice employee handbook shouldn’t be overlooked. An employee handbook is an effective way to standardize and centralize personnel and benefit policies as well as employee expectations and company values. In doing so, a quality employee handbook can prevent miscommunications, legal issues, and employee complaints in your practice. If you haven’t updated your practice’s employee handbook in many years, this guide on what to include in a dental office employee handbook will help you create a comprehensive and beneficial document.
One of the most important points to include in your dental practice’s employee handbook is human resource and legal information. For example, you should clarify information regarding employee rights, OSHA workplace safety laws, and equal employment and nondiscrimination policies in your handbook. Failing to include such information could result in legal breaches within your practice that could have numerous devastating consequences.
To ensure that all employees are aware of what’s expected of them, include a section on employee expectations in your dental practice employee handbook. When outlining expectations, consider including information such as clear job descriptions, outlines of employee responsibilities, skills and education requirements for employees, processes for performance reviews, and guidelines for employee discipline if they don’t fulfill such expectations.
Information regarding employee benefits is also important to include in your dental practice employee handbook—and it’ll probably be the section your employees will be the most interested in. This section should include information regarding office closures on holidays, sick leave, paid time off, insurance and retirement benefits, workplace training, family leave, and other benefits your practice may or may not offer.
The legal requirements for what you need to include in your dental office’s employee handbook will vary based on the state and region in which your practice is located. As such, it’s important to familiarize yourself with local and state laws regarding what information you’re required to include in your employee manual.
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