In this page
The three problems HR documentation creates
What we produce
The staff handbook
The finance manual as a living document
When organisations come to us
HR procedures we write
How it works
Prices
Contact us
Most HR teams have more documentation than they have time to maintain. Policies accumulate after every employment dispute, every new regulation, every change of HR Director. The result is a library that looks comprehensive, but works poorly in practice.
The problem often is the policies were written to be legally defensible rather than operationally useful. They describe what the organisation’s position is. They rarely explain what a manager should actually do, for example, when they need to start a disciplinary process at 9am on a Monday.
While the policies sit untouched in a shared drive, the organisation carries real risk. When a manager does things their own way (because the documented procedure is too complicated to follow, or because they didn’t know it existed), the organisation loses the protection that a consistent, documented process is supposed to provide.
Cherryleaf writes HR policies and procedures that are legally sound and genuinely usable.
The three problems HR documentation creates
Policies that exist but aren’t followed
A policy nobody reads offers no protection. It can actually make things worse. If your disciplinary procedure describes a four-stage process and a manager skips stage two because they didn’t know about it, you have documented evidence of inconsistent practice. In an employment tribunal, that matters.
Policies are ignored for predictable reasons:
- They are too long.
- They use legal language that managers find hard to apply.
- They describe the ideal process without accounting for real-world situations.
- They live somewhere people don’t look.
We separate what the policy says from what managers need to do. We structure both so the people who need to act can find the relevant section quickly.
Onboarding documentation that describes the wrong company
Induction packs are among the most frequently neglected documents in any organisation. They are usually written when the organisation first formalises its HR processes, and then not touched again for years.
In that time, the company has changed.
For example:
- The system referenced in the induction is now different
- The person named as the HR contact has left.
- New starters arrive and receive materials that undermine confidence in the organisation before they have even started.
Outdated onboarding documentation also creates inconsistency. If different teams or sites supplement the formal materials with their own informal guidance, new starters in different parts of the organisation learn different things. As result, they often act in different ways.
Inconsistent practice across teams, sites, or after a merger
One of the most common sources of HR risk is when line managers in different locations apply different standards to the same situation. Two people in comparable roles, disciplined in different ways for comparable behaviour, have grounds to question whether they were treated fairly.
After an acquisition or merger, the problem is particularly acute. There will be two employee handbooks. Until a coherent set of documentation exists for the combined organisation, managers and employees are making assumptions about which rules apply to them.
What we produce
Depending on the scope of the project, we produce:
- A staff handbook, or a systematic review and update of an existing one
- Individual policy documents covering specific HR areas
- Procedural guidance for managers.
- These are typically step-by-step process guides separate from the policy itself
- Onboarding and induction documentation
- Templates for standard HR processes
- A documentation inventory showing what exists, what is missing, and what is inconsistent or out of date
- A consolidated set of HR documentation for a merged organisation
- Guidance for maintaining and updating the content after the project concludes
We will discuss the right starting point for your organisation and provide a clear quotation before any work begins.
The staff handbook
The staff handbook is the most visible piece of HR documentation in any organisation, and frequently the one most in need of attention.
A well-written staff handbook does three things.
- It tells employees what to expect from the organisation.
- It tells them what the organisation expects from them.
- It gives managers a reference point that is clear enough to actually apply.
A poorly written one does none of those things consistently.
We write staff handbooks that are readable from the first page, structured so that employees and managers can navigate to what they need, and maintained so that individual sections can be updated without rewriting the whole document.
Where organisations use Microsoft 365, we can prepare the handbook for publication in SharePoint or as a set of linked Word documents . This is so the most current version is always what employees find, rather than a PDF from three years ago.
When organisations come to us
The trigger is usually one of the following situations.
An employment dispute or tribunal claim
The claim itself might be resolved, but the process reveals that the documented procedure either doesn’t exist, wasn’t followed, or won’t stand up to scrutiny. The organisation needs defensible documentation before the next situation arises.
The staff handbook hasn’t been reviewed in years
Sometimes this appears during a new HR Director’s first month. Whatever the prompt, the realisation that core employment documentation may be materially out of date creates an immediate priority.
A merger or acquisition
Two organisations will usually have some differences in cultures and policies. The integration timeline creates pressure to resolve the documentation quickly. We help organisations carry out an inventory, identify conflicts, and produce a coherent set of HR documentation for the combined entity. For larger integration projects, see our M&A policy and procedure integration service.
Growth that has outpaced documentation
The informal approaches that worked when the organisation employed 30 people breaks down at 300. Managers are making individual judgements that should be governed by consistent policy. The risk of reputational and legal exposure caused by inconsistent practice increases as the organisation grows.
A new HR Director or People Lead joining
A new senior HR appointment commonly triggers a review of the documentation estate. The incoming leader wants to understand what exists, what is fit for purpose, and what needs attention before a problem surfaces.
Compliance updates
Changes in employment law require existing policies to be reviewed and updated.
HR policies and procedures we write
We write and update the full range of HR policies and procedures. Below is the scope of what we cover.
Staff handbook
The central reference document covering the full employment relationship: terms and conditions, conduct standards, available policies, and how to access support. We write new handbooks from scratch and carry out structured updates to existing ones.
Recruitment and selection
Procedures for advertising roles, shortlisting candidates, conducting interviews, and making offers – including the criteria used at each stage and the documentation required.
Induction and onboarding
This includes pre-joining communication, day-one logistics, role-specific orientation, and the checklist of things a new employee needs to know, access, and sign. Good onboarding documentation reduces time to productivity and improves early retention.
Probationary periods
The process for managing the probationary period, including review meetings, documentation standards, extension decisions, and the process for ending employment during probation.
Performance management and appraisal
The framework for setting objectives, conducting appraisals, managing underperformance, and recognising strong performance. This includes the documentation used at each stage and the guidance managers need to hold meaningful conversations rather than administrative exercises.
Capability and performance improvement
The process for managing an employee whose performance is consistently below the required standard, distinct from the disciplinary process.
Disciplinary and dismissal
The staged process for addressing conduct issues, from informal conversations through to formal warnings and dismissal. We write disciplinary procedures that managers can follow at each stage, including what to document, how hearings are conducted, and the appeals process.
Grievance
The process by which employees can raise concerns formally, including what constitutes a grievance, who investigates it, the timeline, and the appeals route.
Bullying and harassment
The policy covering unacceptable behaviour in the workplace, including online and in remote or hybrid settings. This should be distinct from the general disciplinary procedure and should include the process for informal resolution as well as formal complaint.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
The organisation’s commitment and obligations under the Equality Act 2010, including the protected characteristics, the duty to make reasonable adjustments, and how the organisation monitors and reports on equality outcomes.
Flexible and hybrid working
The right to request flexible working and the process for considering requests. This should include the criteria used to assess requests, the timeline, the process for trialling new arrangements, and the procedure for reviewing or changing them.
Maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave
The statutory rights and the organisation’s own provisions, including the process for notifying the organisation, agreeing keeping-in-touch arrangements, and managing the return.
Adoption leave
The equivalent provisions for employees adopting, including the notification process, leave entitlements, and return arrangements.
Parental bereavement leave
The statutory right to bereavement leave following the death of a child, including the notice requirements and the organisation’s discretionary provisions beyond the statutory minimum.
Sickness absence and wellbeing
Procedures for managing sickness absence, including notification requirements, return-to-work conversations, medical referrals, and the trigger points for formal absence management. This should be linked to, but separate from, the capability procedure.
Annual leave and holiday pay
How holiday entitlement is accrued, when it can be taken, the process for requesting leave, carryover rules, and the calculation of holiday pay for employees with variable hours.
Redundancy
The criteria and process for a redundancy selection exercise, consultation requirements, calculation of statutory and enhanced redundancy pay, and the appeals process.
Data protection and employee privacy
How the organisation processes, stores, and protects employee personal data under UK GDPR, including the purpose and legal basis for each category of data, employee rights, and the retention periods that apply.
Anti-bribery and corruption
The organisation’s policy under the Bribery Act 2010, including what constitutes a bribe, the prohibition on facilitation payments, and the process for reporting concerns. This needs to be supported by guidance that employees can apply in practice.
Anti-modern slavery
The organisation’s approach to identifying and preventing modern slavery in its own operations and supply chain, as required by the Modern Slavery Act 2015 for organisations above the threshold turnover.
Whistleblowing (Speak Up)
The process by which employees can raise concerns about suspected wrongdoing, the protections afforded to those who do, and the channels available for reporting concerns including options for anonymous disclosure.
Conflict of interest
When employees must declare a conflict of interest, how declarations are recorded, and how the organisation manages situations where a conflict exists.
Social media and acceptable use
What employees can and cannot post publicly in relation to the organisation, colleagues, or clients. This should cover personal accounts as well as any organisation-branded presence, and should address the use of AI-generated content in a professional context.
Training and development
The framework for identifying development needs, the process for requesting and approving training, and the organisation’s position on study leave and training cost recovery.
Intellectual property and knowledge assets
Who owns work created by employees in the course of their employment, and the organisation’s approach to confidential information during and after employment.
Relocation and travel expenses
The organisation’s provisions for employees who relocate at the organisation’s request, and the policy governing what can be claimed for business travel and accommodation.
Board-level policies are also within scope.
See the main policies and procedures page for further detail.
How it works
For HR documentation projects, we follow the same structured approach we use across all our work, adapted to the specific characteristics of employment documentation.
We begin with a conversation to understand the scope, the current state of the documentation estate, and the most critical areas. For HR projects, we typically start with a documentation inventory, so that we can identify gaps and prioritise the work.
We then work with your HR team and, where relevant, your legal advisers to understand the requirements for each document. We write to your organisation’s approved requirements; we do not provide legal advice on what those requirements should be.
Where employment law compliance affects the content, we flag this explicitly so your team can verify the position with your legal advisers.
The review process is structured and time-bound, with named approvers and clear deadlines. We incorporate feedback and deliver final documents in the agreed format. For example: Word, SharePoint-ready content, or another agreed system.
We work remotely as standard. We have experience working with HR teams across the UK, Europe, and North America.
For a full description of how we manage the process,including what your team will need to provide and how much of their time is typically required. See our main policies and procedures page.
How much does HR policy and procedure writing cost?
Finance documentation projects typically fall in the £6,000 to £20,000 range, depending on scope. A project focused on a single high-risk area will be at the lower end. A full HR documentation programme, or a post-merger consolidation project, will be larger.
We will provide a clear quotation once we understand the scope. There is no obligation to proceed after receiving it.
For larger or less well-defined projects, we recommend beginning with a documentation audit or a small pilot. This produces a clearer estimate for the remaining work and gives your team the opportunity to validate the approach before committing to the full programme.
We can invoice in GBP, EUR, or USD.
Find out whether your HR documentation is fit for purpose
If you would like to discuss your HR documentation requirements, or send us a sample of your existing procedures, we are happy to review it and tell you plainly what appears to be working, what could be improved, and what the sensible next step might be.
You can book a free initial conversation by email or via Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or another platform of your choice.
Email: info@cherryleaf.com