Let us all say it out loud that most of the HR docs are kind of boring as they are very long and too detailed. Sometimes I used to think that a lawyer might have written them while falling asleep on their desk 😂. But, in a wild set up like Salesforce consulting, this just doesn’t work. It should make more sense to us, shouldn't panic us and they should be more clear and compliant. So, here’s a list of initial docs that makes sense and won’t suck too.

Start With the Basics!

These are a few documents which are a must have in any company and will cover the team without burying anyone in red tape:

• Offer Letter: This doesn’t have to sound like a robot yet should be written in a very professional way. Can keep it sweet and short. If the offer letter makes a person panicky after reading it, then it is time to rewrite it.
• Employment agreement: This document can be tricky as it will have some legal details and it will sound like a grown up doc. Things like confidentiality, IP assignment will be put in this one. Yet, this should sound like an at-will employment doc where the employee should understand what they are signing for. If a decoder is needed to understand it, it can be too much for anyone.  
• Employee Handbook: This should always reflect the culture and the rules of the company without sounding like a corporate overload. Should be kept under 20 pages.
• Comp & Benefits guide: This can be one of the most looked at policies as people always want to know what perks do they have access to like raises, bonus, flex time etc. Hence, it should be made digestible as no one wants to DM the authority for asking how their salary is being reviewed.
• Performance review: Should look and sound like no one is getting grinded. Hence, should be kept light weight like what went good and what could have been better. Plans for next quarter and some feedback. Shouldn’t sound like therapy and must be action oriented.

There can be many more policies which can be more important for a company but the crux of this blog is to let the companies know that all your employees are humans and they need policies that do not create panic and still give a sense of belonging in a culture where they fit in.

Policies doesn’t have to be boring and overwhelming. The team is full of talented humans who are building cool stuff in this tech era. Hence, they should be given clarity and not confusion. Start lean, respect and not red tape. Keeping it real helps as usual.