Free Employee Handbook Template for Australian Small Business

Most small businesses in Australia don't have an employee handbook. They have a verbal briefing on day one, a few PDFs emailed across, and the quiet hope that new staff will figure out the rest. That works until it doesn't.

This template gives you a working handbook you can adapt in an afternoon. It covers the Fair Work basics, your workplace expectations, leave, and safety. It is not a legal document — for anything with real liability attached, talk to an employment lawyer or Fair Work directly. But it is a solid starting point that is better than nothing, and better than most of what small businesses actually have in place.

What an employee handbook needs to cover

A handbook doesn't need to be a hundred pages. It needs to answer the questions your staff will have in their first week, and give you something to point to if behaviour or conduct becomes an issue later. Cover these sections and you have a functional document:

• Who you are and what the business does
• Employment conditions (hours, pay, award or agreement)
• Leave entitlements (annual, sick, personal, carer's)
• Workplace conduct expectations
• Work health and safety basics
• Grievance and complaint process
• Policies specific to your industry (food handling, customer contact, uniforms)

The template

Copy the structure below into a Word doc or Google Doc and fill in the bracketed sections. The section order matters — start with the easy, factual information before moving to conduct and expectations.

Section 1 — Welcome and about us

[Business name] has been operating since [year]. We are a [brief description of what you do and who you serve]. Our team of [number] people works to [your mission in one sentence — keep it honest and simple].

This handbook tells you what to expect working with us, what we expect from you, and where to go if you have questions or concerns. Read it, keep a copy, and ask [name/role] if anything is unclear.

Section 2 — Your employment conditions

• Award or agreement: Your employment is covered by the [name of Award, e.g. Restaurant Industry Award 2020]. A copy of the full Award is available at fairwork.gov.au.
• Hours: Your standard hours are [hours per week]. Hours may vary by roster. You will receive at least [X] days notice of roster changes.
• Pay: You are paid [weekly/fortnightly] by bank transfer. Your pay slip will be provided on each pay day.
• Probation: Your first [3/6] months are a probationary period. Either party may end employment during this period with [notice period] notice.
• Superannuation: We contribute the compulsory superannuation guarantee rate to your nominated fund on the required schedule.

Section 3 — Leave entitlements

Leave entitlements are set by the National Employment Standards (NES) under the Fair Work Act. As a full-time employee, you are entitled to:

• 4 weeks paid annual leave per year
• 10 days paid personal/carer's leave per year
• 2 days compassionate leave per occasion
• Community service leave (jury duty, emergency management)
• Long service leave per relevant state legislation

Part-time employees receive leave on a pro-rata basis. Casual employees receive a higher base rate in lieu of paid leave entitlements.

All leave requests must be submitted to [name/role] at least [X] days in advance except in genuine emergencies. Medical certificates may be required for absences exceeding [X] days.

Section 4 — Workplace conduct

We expect all team members to treat colleagues, customers, and suppliers with respect. The following behaviours are not acceptable at [business name]:

• Harassment, bullying, or discrimination of any kind
• Theft, fraud, or dishonesty
• Attending work affected by alcohol or drugs
• Sharing confidential business information externally without permission
• Conduct that brings the business into disrepute

Breaches of conduct may result in a formal warning, performance management, or termination depending on severity. Serious misconduct may result in immediate dismissal without notice.

Section 5 — Work health and safety

[Business name] is committed to providing a safe working environment. You have both rights and responsibilities under Australian WHS legislation:

• Your rights: to work in a safe environment, to raise safety concerns without fear of retaliation, to refuse unsafe work.
• Your responsibilities: to follow safe work procedures, to use required PPE, to report hazards and incidents immediately to [name/role].

All incidents, near-misses, and hazards must be reported to [name/role] on the day they occur. An incident register is maintained at [location].

[Add any industry-specific safety requirements here — food handling certificates, white card for construction, RSA for hospitality, etc.]

Section 6 — Grievances and complaints

If you have a concern about your employment, your working conditions, or the conduct of a colleague or manager, you are encouraged to raise it. We prefer issues to be resolved informally where possible.

1. Informal resolution: Raise the concern directly with the relevant person, or with [name/role] if that is not appropriate.
2. Formal complaint: Submit a written complaint to [name/role]. We will investigate and respond within [X] business days.
3. External avenues: You have the right to contact the Fair Work Commission or your relevant state WHS authority at any time.

Retaliation against anyone who raises a genuine concern is not tolerated.

Section 7 — Specific workplace policies

Add any policies specific to your business here. Common additions include:

• Mobile phone policy (in customer-facing roles)
• Uniform and personal presentation standards
• Social media policy
• Cash handling and till procedures
• Food safety and allergen handling (hospitality)
• Customer complaint handling procedure

What to do with this document

Once you have adapted the template, give a copy to each new starter on day one. Ask them to sign an acknowledgement that they have received and read it — a simple “I confirm I have received and read the [Business name] employee handbook” with date and signature is enough.

Keep a signed copy in your records. If an employment issue arises later, the acknowledgement is evidence that the employee was informed of your policies.

Review the handbook annually or whenever there is a significant change to your Award, the NES, or your internal policies.

Taking it further with ShiftReady

A handbook is a static document. The parts that matter most — safety inductions, food handling procedures, POS training, compliance certificates — need to be delivered, tracked, and evidenced, not just handed over on paper.

ShiftReady turns the procedural sections of your handbook into mobile-friendly training modules your staff complete on their phone before their first shift. You can see who has completed what, track certificate expiry dates, and have an audit-ready record without managing it manually.

Start a free 14-day trial — no card required. First module takes about ten minutes to set up.