Employee Handbooks

[Tyler7692]

Looking for some reference employee handbooks if anyone is willing to post a copy of theirs. I am looking for ones that are somewhat detailed and come from successful companies with a good employee base.

Thanks.

[Scagg Mann]

Was just thinking the same the past several weeks. Anyone out there who has a good one that they could send would be a lot of help.

[Stihl036pro]

What I have done in the past was Created a company Manuel on exactly how the business should be run. I have not completed my company hand book but its getting there. I would make sure that everything the employee does is in this hand book on the daily procedures of being a landscaper. Mowing needs to be idiot prof and you need to almost quiz them on what the employee needs to due when they arrive to mow a customers lawn. It has to be ingrained into there memory. Everything from blowing everything off to bringing the garbage can up to the house when they arrive. That is the only way employee will get it. Sometimes that does not even work. It may sound stupid to a lot of guys but when you have employees that is the only way it works.

[DLAWNS]

Hope this helps a bit. If there are any suggestion, by all means I'm sure it could use some suggestions. Let me know what you think!

[DLAWNS]

For some reason when I uploaded it, it said it was an invalid file so I'll just copy and paste..... Here ya go!

Depierro Lawns Rules & Regulations

1 Drug and Alcohol
-No Drug or Alcohol during work hours. 1st offense=TERMINATION

2 Uniforms
-Clean Uniform
-Company Shirt or Sweatshirt
-Khaki Pants
-Company hat or plain hat
-Pants pulled up
-Preferably black or tan steel toe boots

3 Safety
-Tasks need to performed safely with co-workers and yourself in mind. If and when a customer or pedestrian approaches you shut down all running equipment. When safety is in issue take your time. If you feel part of a job might be a safety hazard contact your supervisor. If you are on a job and you encounter objects that are dangerous, hazardous, or unsanitary please leave the area and alert your supervisor.

4 Cell Phones
-Cell phones can be used in the truck and not on the job except in an emergency or with special permission.

5 Customer Service
-Always greet customers and potential customers in a friendly manner. If machinery is running please give a friendly wave. Be polite and friendly but do not spend more than a few moments with any given customer. If there are any customer questions, concerns, or problems please contact your supervisor immediately. Only answer customer questions that you are sure of the answers to. All estimates to future jobs will be done by supervisors. Customer Service is
the most important thing to Depierro Lawns as well as quality work. Never be rude to a customer, potential customer, or even someone who is passing by.

6 Moonlighting
-If caught stealing work from Depierro Lawns the employee will be terminated upon the first offense.

7 Professional Appearance
-At Depierro Lawns part of customer Service is presentation to the customer.
-Neat appearance.
-No foul language.
-No smoking on the job.
-No using customer’s yards as a bathroom.
-Always be clean shaven and presentable.

8 Days of Operation
We operate Monday through Friday. There will be Saturday work when necessary usually when there are bad weather conditions. We start at different times depending on the time of year. Employees are expected to be to work on time every day. The only exceptions will be emergencies or extenuating circumstances. Please give one week’s notice for days that you need off or need to leave early. Exceptions will be made if something comes up. This time will be unpaid. Exceptions will be made if something comes up.

9 Payment
Paychecks will be issued on a weekly basis. All hours worked will be documented and paid to employees “on the books”. Overtime will be any hours worked past a 40 hour work week and will be paid at the rate of time and a half. No advances in pay will be given.

10 Be prepared
You must bring whatever you need or want with you to work each day. Examples are: food, drinks, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, etc. We will not be stopping through the day for these items. The only exception will be for lunch and bathroom emergencies.
I have read and understand all of the Depierro Lawns Rules and Regulations. I have also received a copy for my records.


Employee Signature: ___________________________ Date: __________
Depierro Lawns Signature: ______________________ Date: ___________

[Elite Outdoor]

I did a search and found this link http://bbyardscape.tripod.com/bbdownloadpage.htm It should be helpful.

[TMlawncare]

Nice find.

[POPO4995]

Very nice find on that one!:weightlifter:

[Tommy Boy]

Great Info Guys, Bill Thanks for the information. Set the standard before they leave the shop. Be fair but no one will work harder for you than you!

[bohiaa]

before you FORCE someone to sgin something like this make DAMN sure you run it past an attorney....

there are a few items I seen that dlawns had in his that would get him sued.

[Tommy Boy]

before you FORCE someone to sgin something like this make DAMN sure you run it past an attorney....

there are a few items I seen that dlawns had in his that would get him sued.

Get him sued? Please expand on this. Unless he is in some liberal union driven are of the country, the golden rule applies, the man with the gold makes the rule.

Intrested in this area, please expand, Not personal, just wondering how

[DLAWNS]

Bohiaa---What parts of this could get me sued? These are pretty basic things and a lot of companies have a lot more and stricter rules than this. I do appreciate the advice to have a lawyer look it over and I do plan on doing so, just haven't gotten around to it. I'm just curious which things you felt were illegal. Let me know.

Plus, they are not FORCED into signing anything. If they don't like something on there it can be discussed with me if there is a problem. If they don't like something like the drug policy or something else crazy like that they don't have to sign anything and they can take a walk. I do want to fix the No smoking on the job part. That sounds like you can't smoke at all. I'm a smoker myself (trying like hell to quit) but guys can smoke in the truck, or take breaks on big jobs, or when they're refilling the trimmer, etc. I just don't want guys cutting, trimming, etc with a cig in their mouth. I used to do this when I worked for other companies that allowed it and it doesn't look so good and is quite dangerous.

[LB1234]

but guys can smoke in the truck, or take breaks on big jobs, or when they're refilling the trimmer, etc. I just don't want guys cutting, trimming, etc with a cig in their mouth.

So they can't smoke when they are sitting on the mower...but they can when pouring flamable gas into the trimmers?:confused:

[DLAWNS]

So they can't smoke when they are sitting on the mower...but they can when pouring flamable gas into the trimmers?:confused:

No, No, No....my fault. I meant to say re-spooling the trimmers.:hammerhead:

[Tommy Boy]

Come on Bill, bet you at one time or another filled the trimmer with a cig? I see guys doing it all the time. not my guys. You have the start of a great handbook, I would add a section on discrimination, problem resolution section and EEO work place. I mean here in Atlanta I would never hire a Yankee :-)

Good work Bill

[LB1234]

No, No, No....my fault. I meant to say re-spooling the trimmers.:hammerhead:

figured as much...having a little fun:waving:

[DLAWNS]

Come on Bill, bet you at one time or another filled the trimmer with a cig? I see guys doing it all the time. not my guys. You have the start of a great handbook, I would add a section on discrimination, problem resolution section and EEO work place. I mean here in Atlanta I would never hire a Yankee :-)

Good work Bill


Alright, alright I might have done it once or twice, lol. Not smart but have done it, nonetheless. I've gotten much better with it, though as it's pretty unprofessional (as well as unsafe). Never hire a Yankee, come on now. lol When I moved to Florida, the company I worked for loved me because I worked circles around you southern boys. *Disclaimer: southern guys...I'm just joking! Thanks for the advice and suggestions. I think the word Yankee is so funny, b/c a bunch of my buddies down south introduced me as their Yankee friend!:laugh:

figured as much...having a little fun:waving:

No, I know you were just kidding. I just wanted to clarify because I definitely worded that very badly. Thanks for keeping me on my toes.:cool2:

[Tommy Boy]

Alright, alright I might have done it once or twice, lol. Not smart but have done it, nonetheless. I've gotten much better with it, though as it's pretty unprofessional (as well as unsafe). Never hire a Yankee, come on now. lol When I moved to Florida, the company I worked for loved me because I worked circles around you southern boys. *Disclaimer: southern guys...I'm just joking! Thanks for the advice and suggestions. I think the word Yankee is so funny, b/c a bunch of my buddies down south introduced me as their Yankee friend!:laugh:



No, I know you were just kidding. I just wanted to clarify because I definitely worded that very badly. Thanks for keeping me on my toes.:cool2:


Not only a Yankee, but from Jersey? Which Exit? I really do like to hire yankees, gives me thoughts of Tara and making you carpet baggers work for me, can you get me a mint julip.

Just funning, I see you like Florida, your welcome to visit, but please have an exit plan and do not attempt to mate with our women, Alabama Women are ok, becuse the gene pool needs a little clorine. Plus Alabama women are like hunting in a baited field

[LB1234]

No, I know you were just kidding. I just wanted to clarify because I definitely worded that very badly. Thanks for keeping me on my toes.:cool2:

Better to be on your toes than on your ARSE when the can blows!!:laugh:

[sgl41377]

I did a search and found this link http://bbyardscape.tripod.com/bbdownloadpage.htm It should be helpful.

Thanks for the link, very useful information.

[TMlawncare]

Cell phones are becoming a real problem for us. I have no written policy for this and I getting killed. Everytime I look around someones on the phone instead of working. I told them that phones can only be used in the truck. Now when we are going to the next stop I have one guy that will be on the phone 5 minutes after we pulled up to the site. With so much to do in a day, this is not helping. I am really going to have to implement an employee handbook this year. When you get more then one employee its amazing how they alway complain about fairness issues.

[DLAWNS]

Not only a Yankee, but from Jersey? Which Exit? I really do like to hire yankees, gives me thoughts of Tara and making you carpet baggers work for me, can you get me a mint julip.

Just funning, I see you like Florida, your welcome to visit, but please have an exit plan and do not attempt to mate with our women, Alabama Women are ok, becuse the gene pool needs a little clorine. Plus Alabama women are like hunting in a baited field

Yeah good old Dirty Jersey. One of the closest exits is 82. I had to google some of your southern words. Ha Ha! I still don't know what thoughts of Tara means. Right over my head. Believe me, anytime I go south, I'm coming back home. lol:laugh: I lived in Florida for two years and it just wasn't for me. I was mad homesick the whole time and it was just too different of a world down there for me. I'm staying put up here. I'll go down and visit my buddy in Georgia every now and again, but my brother-in-law moved to Oklahoma so the only reason that I'll be heading to Florida is to go to Disney.

[DLAWNS]

Better to be on your toes than on your ARSE when the can blows!!:laugh:

Good call!Thumbs Up You going to the trade show on the 25th?

[Az Gardener]

You really need 2 different documents.

Employee handbook outlines the employment policies like benefits and what your company rules are like the cell phones and smoking policies, vacation, sick days etc.
Operations manual is the document that details how you do the work you do. Like how to mow a lawn or fuel up equipment, unloading loading trailer procedures etc.


You really need both documents and you also need to enforce them, that is where you run into legal trouble . You let employee A slide on a few things but you hammer employee B. Employee B can claim he was discriminated against because you didn't follow your own rules :nono:.

Also when you train someone have them sign off that they have been trained and they understand. This way you have covered you azz if *hit hits the fan at a later date. There is much more to it but this will get you going in the right direction.

I will add this takes lots of hours to do right and unless you are serious about growth and a business structure you are throwing money down a rat hole. Besides the time it takes to develop (100,s of hours) you have to be serious about enforcement, this makes you and everyone in the company Jr.police officers. You can't have rules without enforcement policies so you better decide what the punishment is for violations before you set the rules, then you have to enforce them consistently. And you thought this was going to be simple :laugh:

It will build a solid company culture that is very beneficial in the long run but when you are firing guys as fast as you are hiring them because they can't comply with what you thought were simple rules and procedures when you wrote them it gets very frustrating.

Feel free to use my tag line below, it gets used frequently when we discipline guy,s it is even on our violation form we use to document infractions.

[Az Gardener]

Your manuals and handbooks are very personal documents to your business. They really define your company, which is why I am not posting mine I will give you my table of contents to provide some guidance.

Employee manual
Table of contents
1. Our systems
2. Employment issues
3. Privacy
4. Benefits
5. Truck Care
6. Career development

Operations manual
Table of Contents

General Systems

• Gardeners “Rules to Live By”

• Completing Time Sheets

• Truck Etiquette

• Communication etiquette

Gnome Systems

• Luminescent Lighting

• Perfect Cut Every time

• Magical Mulch Cover

• Weed & Trash Free

• Stupendous Flowers

• Effective Cleaning Methods

• Equipment Safety

• Loading and Unloading Debris

• Proper Pot Watering


This is the first part of the operations manual, more gets added with each promotion and more responsibilities. My entry level position is a "Gnome" then Apprentice Gardener then Gardener.

[LB1234]

Good call!Thumbs Up You going to the trade show on the 25th?

If it doesn't snow then yes. I need the pesticide pts to maintain my license in turf and ornamentals. I'll be the guy in the back row dozing off...wait a minute...that will be EVERYONE in the back row.

[DLAWNS]

Yeah I did that on Monday at the Turfgrass insects class. I was fine until after lunch. It was a little harder after lunch, lol.:laugh:

[LB1234]

Yeah I did that on Monday at the Turfgrass insects class. I was fine until after lunch. It was a little harder after lunch, lol.:laugh:

The one Rutgers guy that speaks every year (at least was) regarding the effectiveness of post/pre emergents and crabgrass was interesting. He would place some charts up about time applied and how long it lasted and whether it worked pre-post as it said, etc. etc. Keep me interested since crabgrass is one of my major problems.

The lady last year doing the stupid safety thing with the gloves was just horrible. UGHHH!!

Good news is I'll have my req'd CORE credits after this visit. Then I just need my #3A/B recerts.

[DLAWNS]

The one Rutgers guy that speaks every year (at least was) regarding the effectiveness of post/pre emergents and crabgrass was interesting. He would place some charts up about time applied and how long it lasted and whether it worked pre-post as it said, etc. etc. Keep me interested since crabgrass is one of my major problems.

The lady last year doing the stupid safety thing with the gloves was just horrible. UGHHH!!

Good news is I'll have my req'd CORE credits after this visit. Then I just need my #3A/B recerts.

I hear ya. I'm dreading the core class, too. I have the turfgrass disease class in March. Than next year I will just need one core class. Than I have about two years before I gotta think about it again.

[M&N Maintenance]

awesome find thankyou!!!