Essential HR Policy Templates Every Business Needs
Every organisation needs a solid foundation of HR policies - but creating them from scratch is time-consuming and risky. Use the wrong language, miss key legal requirements, or fail to cover essential scenarios, and you're exposed to legal liability and employee relations issues.
This guide covers the essential HR policy templates every business needs, what should be included in each, and how to customize them for your organisation.
Why HR Policy Templates Matter
HR policy templates provide:
- Legal protection: Properly drafted policies protect against employment claims
- Consistency: Templates ensure all employees are treated fairly and consistently
- Time savings: Start with professional templates instead of writing from scratch
- Compliance: Include legal requirements and best practices
- Clarity: Set clear expectations for employee behavior and rights
Essential HR Policy Templates
1. Code of Conduct Policy Template
Purpose: Sets behavioral expectations and professional standards
Must include:
- Expected behaviors and professional standards
- Prohibited conduct (harassment, discrimination, bullying)
- Dress code and appearance standards
- Use of company property and resources
- Conflicts of interest
- Social media guidelines
- Reporting procedures for violations
- Consequences for policy breaches
Legal note: Your code of conduct must comply with UK employment law, including the Equality Act 2010. Avoid blanket bans that could discriminate against protected characteristics.
2. Remote Work & Flexible Working Policy Template
Purpose: Defines terms for remote and hybrid working arrangements
Must include:
- Eligibility criteria for remote work
- Application and approval process
- Work hours and availability expectations
- Communication requirements (video calls, response times)
- Equipment provision and IT support
- Data security and confidentiality requirements
- Health and safety obligations
- Performance monitoring and evaluation
- Right to request return to office
UK legal requirement: Since April 2024, all employees have a day-one right to request flexible working. Your policy must explain how requests are processed.
3. Leave & Absence Policy Template
Purpose: Covers all types of leave and absence procedures
Must include:
- Annual leave entitlement and booking procedures
- Sickness absence reporting and return-to-work procedures
- Maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
- Parental leave and shared parental leave
- Compassionate/bereavement leave
- Time off for dependents
- Jury service
- Unpaid leave requests
- Medical appointments
UK minimums:
- 28 days (5.6 weeks) statutory annual leave including bank holidays
- Statutory sick pay (SSP) after 4 days of sickness
- 52 weeks maternity leave (39 weeks paid)
- 2 weeks paternity leave
4. Disciplinary & Grievance Policy Template
Purpose: Sets fair and consistent procedures for handling misconduct and complaints
Must include:
- What constitutes misconduct vs gross misconduct
- Investigation procedures
- Disciplinary hearing process
- Right to be accompanied
- Possible sanctions (warnings, final warnings, dismissal)
- Appeal procedures
- Grievance raising procedures
- Timescales for each stage
ACAS Code: Your policy must follow the ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures. Failure to follow the code can result in tribunal awards being increased by up to 25%.
5. Data Protection & Privacy Policy (Employee-Facing)
Purpose: Explains how employee personal data is handled
Must include:
- What personal data is collected and why
- Legal basis for processing (usually contract or legitimate interest)
- How long data is retained
- Who has access to employee data
- Third parties data is shared with (payroll, pensions, HMRC)
- Employee rights (access, correction, deletion)
- How to make a subject access request
- Data security measures
UK GDPR requirement: You must provide this information to employees within one month of collecting their data.
6. Equal Opportunities & Anti-Discrimination Policy
Purpose: Commitment to equal treatment and preventing discrimination
Must include:
- Protected characteristics under Equality Act 2010
- Types of discrimination (direct, indirect, harassment, victimization)
- Commitment to equality in recruitment, promotion, training, and benefits
- Reasonable adjustments for disabilities
- Reporting procedures for discrimination
- Investigation and consequences
7. Health & Safety Policy Template
Purpose: Legal requirement under Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Must include:
- Statement of intent on health and safety
- Responsibilities (employer, managers, employees)
- Risk assessment procedures
- Accident reporting and investigation
- First aid arrangements
- Fire safety and emergency procedures
- DSE (display screen equipment) assessments
- Mental health and wellbeing
Legal requirement: If you employ 5 or more people, you must have a written health and safety policy.
8. Social Media & Communications Policy
Purpose: Guidelines for employee use of social media and communications
Must include:
- Personal vs professional social media use
- Representing the company on social media
- Confidentiality and data protection
- Prohibition on defamatory or discriminatory posts
- Consequences of policy breaches
- Monitoring of company systems
How to Customize HR Policy Templates
Step 1: Review the template
Read the entire policy template to understand what's included and identify sections that need customization.
Step 2: Add organisation-specific details
- Company name and legal entity
- Specific job roles and departments
- Contact details for HR or policy owners
- Your actual procedures and timescales
Step 3: Enhance benefits beyond minimums
If you offer more than statutory minimums (e.g., 30 days annual leave instead of 28), specify this clearly.
Step 4: Add industry-specific requirements
Include any sector-specific regulations or standards (e.g., FCA requirements for financial services, CQC standards for healthcare).
Step 5: Legal review
Have employment law solicitor review policies before distribution, especially disciplinary, grievance, and data protection policies.
Step 6: Employee consultation
Consult with employees or trade union representatives before implementing new policies (legal requirement in unionized workplaces).
Common Mistakes with HR Policy Templates
1. Copy-Paste Without Customization
Don't just change the company name. Policies must reflect your actual procedures, or they're worthless.
2. Ignoring Legal Updates
Employment law changes frequently. Review and update policies annually.
3. Policies Don't Match Contracts
Ensure policies align with employment contracts. Contradictions create legal risks.
4. No Distribution or Acknowledgement
Creating policies isn't enough - you must distribute them and prove employees have received and acknowledged them.
5. Overly Complex Language
Use plain English. Employees must understand their rights and obligations.
Distribution & Acknowledgement
Once you've customized your HR policy templates:
- Distribute to all employees - Email copies and make them available on your intranet
- Require acknowledgement - Get written confirmation that employees have read and understood each policy
- Track completion - Monitor who has acknowledged policies and send reminders to non-completers
- Keep records - Store acknowledgements securely for at least 6 years
- Review annually - Update policies to reflect legal changes and business needs
Best practice: Use a policy management platform to distribute policies, track acknowledgements, and maintain audit trails. This provides evidence of distribution if an employee claims they never received a policy.
Get All HR Policy Templates
PolicySuite's HR Essentials Pack includes 15 ready-made HR policy templates, all customisable to your organisation. Distribute and track acknowledgements automatically.
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