COO and legal-HR head at AnchorCSI shares insights on turning employee handbooks into engagement tools
As 2025 approaches, organizations across Asia are undertaking a critical annual task: updating employee handbooks.
While this practice aims to strengthen workplace governance, many companies struggle to transform written policies into meaningful daily practices. And employee handbooks often remain static documents while workplaces continuously evolve.
The fourth quarter is the traditional period when organizations review and revise these crucial documents, according to Locke Lord QuickStudy, but even detailed, well-crafted policies can prove ineffective when employees and managers can't translate them into practical actions.
"More often than not, employees view the handbook negatively," says attorney Maybelle Joy Bernales, who is both the COO and head of human resources and legal at Anchor Collection Services Inc. (ACSI).
"In the local setting, employees tend to think of the handbook as a set of limitations and hindrances, and it is often perceived as being more restrictive than corrective."
The management perspective tells a different story.
"Managers often view the handbook as a means to an end," she observes. "I have noticed that the handbook has become somewhat like a scarecrow for enforcement, used to ensure compliance of their direct reports."
ACSI's recent experience illustrates common pitfalls in policy rollout.
"We recently created a policy with the aim of targeting higher productivity,” Bernales says. “Although it was approved and cascaded, it wasn't immediately discussed [with] the employees. Management later discovered that due to the lack of immediate discussion, the policy was misunderstood, and its primary goal of enhancing productivity wasn't effectively communicated."
This experience shifted their approach to policy creation.
"Policies on the management level, despite having positive intentions, might get lost in translation when implemented," she explains.
"I have learned that policy-making should always be a collaborative effort with stakeholder participation at all levels to ensure alignment and acceptance. I've also learned that policies should be written in the language of those who will execute them, not just those who devise them."
These lessons reshaped ACSI's approach to handbook development.
"We treat our handbook as a living document, ensuring it evolves with the needs of the workplace," Bernales shares.
"To maintain its relevance, we conduct semestral reviews, and we gather feedback to assess applicability and effectiveness. We also prioritize keeping it human by grounding all updates and revisions in our mission and vision, using them as guiding principles to ensure the handbook aligns with our core values and culture."
Bernales identifies two critical factors behind policy failures: incapacity and lack of follow-through.
"Incapacity may affect all levels of an organization, including employees, leaders and implementers. Everyone involved may lack the necessary skills or resources to effectively execute the policy."
Success requires ongoing attention after launch, she says.
"Making a solution to a problem through policy-making does not stop in the implementation stage. It should be an ongoing effort, with multiple re-assessments along the way. Through [checks] and balances, we ensure that the policy's goals have been met."
Effective implementation requires balancing competing needs.
"Balancing fairness and flexibility is all about being thoughtful and intentional. You have to make sure that policies are applied across the board, as consistency builds trust," Bernales states.
"However, there must also be some room for leniency, as not all situations are the same, and a one-size-fits-all approach may not always be fair."
Clear communication underpins this balance, she says.
"Of course, above all, transparency is key. When you openly communicate the reasons behind decisions, it fosters trust and helps clear up any misunderstandings."
Policy implementation succeeds or fails with frontline leaders. According to Bernales, "it's always hard to implement policies without meeting resistance."
Her solution emphasizes human connection: "I find that the best way to connect is through open communication and ongoing dialogues between management and the employees. When we actively engage with employees and incorporate their feedback, employees feel seen and heard."
Some leaders default to using policies as shields. Instead, Bernales advocates for a more empowering approach.
"We help managers see policies as guides created to address challenges they've brought up themselves. By framing policies as more about solutions than just rules, we show how they can support their teams."
This approach, she explains, "puts accountability in their hands, encouraging them to help their people directly instead of just passing issues on to HR."
Bernales sees untapped potential in how handbooks serve organizations.
"If I could rewrite the employee handbook, it would move away from being a document employees fear but rather a trusted guide for navigating all aspects of the company," she says.
"As a lawyer and a leader, I envision the handbook as a balance between legal protection and a relatable, human-centric resource. It should be easy to access, simple to understand, and flexible enough to evolve with the workplace."
The goal extends beyond compliance to genuine employee support. "The handbook should focus and address real, relevant needs like remote work, mental health support, and professional growth," Bernales emphasizes.
"Ultimately, it should be a tool employees value and trust—not something they avoid."
