Effective Employee Handbooks and Record Keeping Can Reduce Exposure and Create Better Workplaces for Restaurants

Running an efficient and profitable restaurant requires effective labor management. The restaurant owner or manager must diligently engage in two separate but related components in order to achieve and maintain better employee relations while limiting legal exposure:  documentation and consistency. 

Appropriate documentation in the workplace can take many forms, including employment applications, noncompetition agreements and accurate time and payroll records. But on a day-to-day basis, an employee handbook is perhaps the most impactful way to maintain positive employee relations. This is particularly imperative in the restaurant and hospitality industry, as employees interact with many people on many levels.  A well-crafted handbook helps employees understand workplace policies and avoid confusion that may lead to legal action should employees feel they are being treated differently or unfairly.

A well-crafted handbook helps employees understand workplace policies and avoid…