Colleague handbooks

Denryu

So I've been at my job since the end of February now, and I still haven't been issued a colleague handbook... I assume this isn't normal? In my past jobs I was given all relevant literature straight away. It just worries me because there are things the book could tell me that I'd feel uncomfortable asking my seniors about (notice periods, for example). I have asked my manager for one several times now and each time he's said "I'll sort you one out" and then it just doesn't happen. I don't want to ask again in case he feels like I'm harassing him, but at the same time I really do feel like I should have one. Anyone got any ideas on the best way to broach the subject for what feels like the twentieth time? Are they "allowed" to not give me a colleague handbook?

Apologies if this is in the wrong place, or a similar thread already exists, I did look around a little but I couldn't find anything else like it.

Daedalus

Got a HR department?

Contract should have all the key points.

Denryu

I do, and I have actually already rang them up about it (forgot to mention that!) along with a few other queries I had, but they just told me to speak to my manager regarding the handbook.

I have a copy of my contract to hand, and it doesn't mention the specific things I'm looking for it basically just explains my probation, my hours, some legal stuff and what's expected of me, and that's it.

Daedalus

What are you after? If it isn't in the contract it will general default to legal basics.

Denryu

Notice period is something I'd like to know, but I don't want to ask because 1) I'll get the inevitable "You're leaving?!" response, and 2) I'm still on probation so like... if they think I'm going to leave they might just not keep me on. I think it's a week (I've worked here less than a year and I'm still on probation like I say), but I'd like that confirming or otherwise.

Other things are to do with holidays. I know how many days I'm entitled to per year, but apparently there's a rule on "how" we can take them, so I'd like to understand that a little more without having someone explain it to me.

I'm told that there's a section on break entitlement in the handbook as well (because where I work has an unnecessarily complicated break system imo), which again I'd like to read over so I'm not asking someone else what breaks I'm entitled to every time I'm in work.

I've come across a few problems at work basically aside from the holiday one (of which I'm not going to get into here because I'll most likely come off as a whiney mf'er who thinks the workplace revolves around them, which wouldn't be my intention haha!) and I think the handbook would help me on most if not all of them.

skintandscared_2

Does your company have an intranet site? Our staff handbook is on there.

Denryu

If they do I've not been made aware of it. There is, like, a staff website, kind of... which I have had a poke around but I can't see anything that looks like PDFs of any literature like that. It's a public site anyway, so I don't think they'd put something like that on there.

Funky_Bold_Ribena

That's internet - not intranet.

Have you got emails? Is there a system you log into to get them? Usually all the procedures these days are on the system and you have to go find them.

Bella73

Do you get on with any colleagues? Could you borrow one off them?

chrisbur

Funky_Bold_Ribena wrote: »

That's internet - not intranet.

Have you got emails? Is there a system you log into to get them? Usually all the procedures these days are on the system and you have to go find them.

Some details about intranet here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intranet

ValHaller

I suggest you write a letter asking for the handbook and mentioning that you have not been given one - most important you keep a copy of your letter. If after this you do not get a copy, then you could quite reasonably assume that the legal minimum of 1 weeks notice applied.