An employment policies template South Africa employers can adapt, giving you a comprehensive policies and procedures set for the workplace in one go.
This comprehensive policies and procedures pack gives South African employers a full set of workplace rules in editable Word format.
EMPLOYMENT POLICIES - COMPREHENSIVE EMPLOYMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SOUTH AFRICA
Summary A business employing staff can make use of these Employment Policies & Procedures. Policies and Procedures help an employer clarify how an employee is required to behave and perform in the workplace.
Who should use these HR Policies and Procedures? If your business employs staff, then these Policies and Procedures can be considered. Policies & Procedures detail various issues relating to the terms and conditions of employment in the company.
These HR Policies can be used with our Employment Agreements and Labour Forms.
What do the template policies say?
These detailed Employment Policies & Procedures consist of:
- Introduction
- Mission, vision and values statement
- Strategic goals
- Business Ethics policy
- Company Structure
- Contact details
- General conditions
- Recruitment policy
- Employee appointment policy
- Remuneration policy
- Performance management policy
- Leave policy
- Confidential information policy
- Recognition & reward policy
- Telephone policy
- Employment equity policy
- Travel policy
- Smoking policy
- Corruption, Gifts & kickbacks policy
- Mobile equipment policy
- Computer usage policy
- Study policy
- Dress code policy
- Additional employment policy
- Substance abuse policy
- Remote access policy
- Sexual harassment policy
- HIV/AIDS and chronic diseases policy
- Staff product purchases policy
- Turnkey policy
- Company vehicles policy
- Search & arrest policy
- Company safes policy
- Relocation policy
- Environmental policy
- Long service awards policy
- Company Communications Policy
- Grievances
- Retrenchment policy
- Disciplinary procedures
- Termination policy
The template HR policies and procedures in their current form can be printed onto 142 pages.
What do you need to do to use these policies?
- Read the template Policies and Procedures carefully, and change them to suit your requirements. Adjust and add further issues into the various documents as desired, and add additional policies where required.
- Complete the required information, such as mission and vision statements, strategic goals, company information and other information as specified in the documents.
- Distribute the Policies and Procedures to your employees, and make sure that they are available to staff at all times. You may want to get your employees to sign a confirmation that they have received the policies and procedures.
We have a wide selection of South African employment contracts, agreements, documents and forms. Feel free to browse the Employment Documents category on our website for more employment document examples and templates.
Comprehensive policies and procedures are crucial for any company to establish a workplace culture that fosters professionalism, safety, and compliance with applicable laws. A well-drafted employee handbook can serve as a useful tool for employees to understand the company's policies, procedures, and rules. In this text, we will discuss some essential elements of company policies and procedures, including conduct, disciplinary and grievance procedures, workplace policies, attendance policies, and more.
Which elements are included within our Employment Contract?
Employee Conduct:
The company's rules and regulations govern employees conduct in the workplace and ensure that employees understand and are made aware what is expected of them by their employers in their behavior and interactions. These rules aim to create a safe and productive work environment and serves as an employee handbook setting a work place that is free from harassment and discrimination. Every employee is expected to understand and comply with these policies. Non-compliance with company policies can result in disciplinary action against employees, including termination.
Company Policy:
The company's policy outlines the guidelines that govern the workplace culture expected by the employers of their employees, including workplace issues, health and safety policy, harassment policies, discrimination policies, employees travel, employees interactions with customers, internet use guidelines and other policies. These policies serve as the basis for decision-making by management or managers regarding company operations and employee behavior.
Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures:
In certain circumstances, an employee may need to face disciplinary action for non-compliance with company rules and practice. Disciplinary action may range from a verbal warning to suspension or termination as way of imposing discipline . Grievance procedures, on the other hand, are procedure that allow employees to voice their concerns about workplace issues, for example; discrimination, pay practice etc. without fear of retaliation or discrimination.
Workplace Policies:
Workplace policies are essential for an employer in maintaining a safe and healthy work environment. These policies may include, for example; anti-harassment policies, sick leave procedure, and more. Employees are expected to comply with these policies and procedure from the date of employment to minimize risk and maintain a healthy workplace.
Attendance Policies:
These policies outline the rules and regulations that employees must follow concerning attendance, including giving notice of absence and pay.
New Employees:
New employees must receive training on the company's policies and procedure. This training is essential to ensure that they understand their roles and responsibilities in maintaining a safe and compliant work environment. This serves to further limits employer risk.
Compliance with Applicable Law:
Compliance with applicable law is an important aspect of every company's operations. It is essential to follow all relevant laws and regulations to avoid legal issues that could harm the company's reputation and operations.
Workplace Violence:
Workplace violence is a significant concern for most companies. A comprehensive workplace policy should address this issue by outlining procedures for reporting and handling incidents of violence in the workplace and in line with law and legal procedure. Employers must take steps to protect their employees from harm and implement strategies and procedure to prevent violence and instill discipline in employees.
Non-Discrimination:
in accordance with legal legislation, employers must take responsibility and implement workplace policies that protect employees from discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, or any other protected characteristic. These policies should be in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and reflect the employer/ company's commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. This is imperative for the overall health of the company and its progression.
Employees Who Travel:
For companies that require employees to travel, it is essential to provide policies to such employees that address the specific risks and challenges that come with business travel. These policies should include guidelines for travel safety, reimbursement procedures, health and safety and expectations for conduct while representing the company on the road.
What do you need to do to use these policies?
A comprehensive set of policies and procedures is necessary for every company to ensure a safe and compliant workplace whilst on company property and when representing the company.
New policies must be communicated to all employees and expected to be followed. The employer must provide employees with a copy of these company policies in order to minimise risk. Rules and procedures must be established for conduct, company policy, health and safety policies, disciplinary and grievance, company property, company policies, safety policies, and more.

What an employment policy pack is for
Policies are the rules of the workplace written down. They tell staff what is expected, and they give you something to point to when a situation turns into a dispute.
In practice, the difference between a defensible disciplinary process and a messy one is usually whether the policy existed, whether the employee had seen it, and whether it was applied consistently.
Who this pack is for
South African employers, HR managers and business owners who want a full set of workplace policies and procedures in one go, rather than writing them one at a time as problems come up.
What is in the comprehensive policies pack
- Editable documents in Microsoft Word, with PDF copies
- Wording drafted and reviewed by a lawyer
- A comprehensive policies and procedures set covering the whole workplace
- Instant download after purchase
Where the comprehensive policies fit alongside contracts
An employment contract covers the deal between you and one person. The comprehensive policies cover how the workplace runs for everyone.
The two work together: the contract usually refers to the comprehensive policies, and the policies fill in the detail the contract does not carry. Employers who have one without the other tend to find the gap at exactly the wrong moment.
How to put policies in place
- Read each policy and edit it to match how your business actually operates
- Take out anything that does not apply, rather than leaving it in unread
- Give staff a copy and record that they received it
- Apply the policies consistently, since inconsistent application is what usually causes the problem
- Review them when the business or the law changes
Keeping the comprehensive policies current
Policies date quickly. A set written three years ago may not reflect how your team now works, what tools they use, or what the law requires.
Set a reminder to read through the comprehensive policies once a year, and again whenever you change how something is done. Staff should be told when a policy changes, and that notification is worth keeping on file alongside the original acknowledgement.
Good to know
The comprehensive policies pack is a starting point for you to adapt, not a finished HR manual for your specific business.
These are templates for you to adapt, not legal advice on your workplace. South African employment is governed by the Labour Relations Act, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Employment Equity Act, and dismissals are tested at the CCMA on both fairness and process, so it is worth having an attorney or labour consultant review your final policies.
The Online Agreements Shop cc and its members, staff, legal advisers, partners and consultants, agents and any person associated therewith cannot be held liable for any loss or damage that is incurred or may be incurred by any person as a direct or indirect result of the use of this website or any document or information contained on or obtained from this website, nor as a result of anything that is contained in or left out of any document.