Employee Handbook Template: Sections Every Indian Company Needs

An employee handbook brings your company's policies, expectations and practical information into one place. For a growing Indian company, it is the document that answers most new joiner questions in the first month, supports managers when they enforce rules and gives you evidence that employees knew the policy if a dispute arises. Many handbooks fail because they are either copied from a multinational and never read, or are a loose folder of policies nobody can find. This employee handbook template gives you the sections every Indian company needs, sample wording for the most important ones, and a practical rollout plan.

What an Employee Handbook Is and Is Not

A handbook is a guide to how your company works: its values, its rules and the benefits it offers. It is usually not a contract in itself. Your appointment letter is the contract, and it refers to the handbook and policies "as amended from time to time".

A handbook should:

• Be readable in an hour.
• Summarise each policy and link to the full policy where needed.
• Be written in plain language, with examples.
• Reflect what you actually do, not what you aspire to.

If you have establishments with 300 or more workers covered by the Industrial Relations Code, you may also need certified standing orders or to follow the model standing orders. The handbook complements those; it does not replace them. Check with counsel if you are near that threshold.

The Handbook Template: Sections to Include

Section	What it covers	Length
1. Welcome	Message from founder or CEO, company story, mission and values	1 page
2. About this handbook	Purpose, who it applies to, how it is updated	Half page
3. Employment basics	Employment types, probation, confirmation, notice periods	1 to 2 pages
4. Working hours and attendance	Hours, shifts, attendance recording, regularisation, overtime	1 to 2 pages
5. Leave and holidays	Leave types, how to apply, holiday calendar	2 pages
6. Pay and benefits	Pay dates, payslips, reimbursements, insurance, statutory benefits	1 to 2 pages
7. Code of conduct	Behaviour, integrity, conflicts of interest, gifts, social media	2 pages
8. POSH and anti-discrimination	Policy summary, Internal Committee details, how to complain	1 to 2 pages
9. Work from home and hybrid	Eligibility, expectations, equipment	1 page
10. IT, data and security	Acceptable use, passwords, data protection, devices	1 to 2 pages
11. Performance and growth	Goals, reviews, learning, promotions	1 page
12. Health, safety and wellbeing	Safety rules, emergency procedures, wellbeing support	1 page
13. Grievances and disciplinary process	How to raise concerns, how misconduct is handled	1 to 2 pages
14. Separation	Resignation, notice, exit process, letters	1 page
15. Acknowledgement	Employee confirms receipt and understanding	Half page

That is roughly 20 to 25 pages, which is about right for most companies with 20 to 1,000 employees.

Sample Wording for Key Sections

About this handbook

"This handbook explains how we work at [Company]. It summarises our main policies and practices. Where a full policy exists, the full policy applies. If anything in this handbook conflicts with your appointment letter or applicable law, your appointment letter or the law will prevail. We review this handbook every year and will tell you about significant changes."

Working hours

"Our standard working hours at [location] are [9:30 am to 6:30 pm, Monday to Friday], including a [one hour] lunch break. Teams working in shifts follow the roster published by their manager at least [14] days in advance. Please record your attendance using [method]. If you forget to record attendance, raise a regularisation request within [5] working days."

Code of conduct: conflicts of interest

"You must avoid situations where your personal interests conflict with the company's interests. Examples include having a financial interest in a vendor, hiring a close relative into your team, or taking up paid work for a competitor. If you are unsure, disclose it to your manager and HR in writing. Disclosure is not wrongdoing; hiding a conflict is."

Gifts

"You may accept gifts of nominal value, such as festival sweets, from business contacts. Any gift above [a value set by the company] must be declared to HR. Cash or cash equivalents must never be accepted."

Social media

"You are free to use social media in your personal capacity. Do not share confidential information, client details or colleague information. Do not speak on behalf of the company unless authorised. Treat colleagues online with the same respect as in the office."

Grievances

"If you have a concern about your work, your manager or a colleague, speak to your manager first. If that is not appropriate, contact HR at [email] or raise it through [HR portal]. You will receive an acknowledgement within [2] working days and a response within [15] working days. Complaints of sexual harassment are handled under our POSH Policy by the Internal Committee."

Under the Industrial Relations Code, establishments with 20 or more workers are required to have a Grievance Redressal Committee. If that applies to you, describe the committee and how to reach it in this section.

Policies to Link Rather Than Reproduce

Keep the handbook readable by summarising and linking to full policies for:

• Leave policy. Our leave policy template gives a full sample.
• POSH policy.
• Work from home and hybrid policy.
• Travel and expense policy.
• IT and acceptable use policy.
• Data protection and privacy notice.
• Disciplinary procedure.
• Whistleblower policy, if you have one.

Writing Style Tips

• Use "you" and "we". "You can apply for leave through the HR portal" reads better than "Employees are required to submit leave applications."
• Give examples. Rules make sense when people see them applied.
• Keep sentences short. Many employees read English as a second or third language.
• Translate where needed. For shop floor teams, provide the key sections in the local language.
• Avoid legal jargon unless the legal term itself matters.
• Be honest. If overtime is common in your industry, say how it is handled rather than pretending it never happens.

Rolling Out the Handbook

1. Draft with input. HR drafts, managers and a few employees review for clarity.
2. Legal review. Especially sections on conduct, discipline, POSH and separation.
3. Leadership sign-off. The welcome message should be genuinely from the leader.
4. Publish digitally on your HR portal, with a searchable format.
5. Brief managers before employees see it, so they can answer questions.
6. Collect acknowledgements from every employee, digitally if possible.
7. Include in onboarding for every new joiner, with a short session in the first week.

Sample Wording: Disciplinary Process and Separation

These two sections are where unclear wording causes the most disputes, so they deserve careful drafting.

Disciplinary process

"If there is a concern about your conduct, we will follow a fair process. Minor issues will usually be handled through a conversation with your manager. For more serious concerns, HR will inform you in writing of the allegation, give you an opportunity to respond, and, where needed, conduct an inquiry before any decision is taken. Outcomes may include a warning, withholding of increment, or termination for serious misconduct, depending on the seriousness of the matter. You may raise concerns about the process with HR leadership."

List examples of serious misconduct, such as theft, fraud, violence, harassment, falsifying records including attendance, and sharing confidential data. Where standing orders apply to your establishment, the handbook must be consistent with them.

Separation

"If you decide to leave, please submit your resignation in writing through [HR portal or email to your manager and HR]. Your notice period is as stated in your appointment letter. We will agree your last working day, plan your handover and complete exit formalities. Your relieving and experience letters will be issued on your last working day once clearance is complete, and your final settlement will be processed as per law."

Making the Handbook Usable

A handbook only works if people can find answers quickly. A few practical touches help:

• A one-page "quick answers" section at the start: how to apply for leave, who to contact for payroll queries, how to report a POSH concern, what to do in an emergency.
• A contact table with names, roles and email addresses for HR, payroll, IT and the Internal Committee, kept current.
• A glossary of terms your company uses, such as grade names or internal tool names.
• Searchable digital format, with links from each summary to the full policy.
• A short "first week" guide for new joiners, linked from onboarding.

Keeping the Handbook Current

An out-of-date handbook is worse than none, because employees rely on it. Set a review cycle:

• Annual full review, owned by HR.
• Immediate updates when a law changes. The Labour Codes that came into force on 21 November 2025 are a good trigger to review references to old Acts.
• Version number and date on the cover.
• A change log at the end, listing what changed and when.
• Fresh acknowledgement when significant changes are made.

Common Mistakes

• Copying a multinational handbook with benefits you do not offer.
• Referring to repealed laws.
• No acknowledgement trail.
• Policies that contradict the appointment letter.
• Stored as a PDF nobody can find.
• Never updated after the first version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an employee handbook legally required in India?

There is no general legal requirement for a handbook, but many of its contents, such as a POSH policy for organisations with 10 or more employees, or standing orders above certain thresholds, are required. A handbook is the practical way to communicate them.

How long should an employee handbook be?

For most companies with 20 to 1,000 employees, 20 to 30 pages with links to full policies works well.

Should the handbook be signed by employees?

Yes. Collect an acknowledgement that the employee has received, read and understood the handbook.

Can we change the handbook later?

Yes, with notice to employees. Do not reduce benefits already earned, and take advice for changes that affect terms of employment.

Should contractors receive the handbook?

Share relevant sections, such as code of conduct, POSH and IT security, with contractors and agency staff who work on your premises or systems.

Publish Policies Where Employees Already Look

Fininvo HRMS includes document management and an employee self-service portal where policies can be shared, and company announcements in its engagement module. Explore employee management, engagement and pricing.