When nobody knows who wrote the HR documents.
The “Bob built this” HR system
Bob wrote the employment agreements in 2003.
Salina wrote the handbook during Covid.
Some policies came from a previous employer.
The forms came from an industry association.
The newest documents were generated with AI.
Bob retired. Salina moved on.
Nobody knows why a policy exists.
Nobody knows when the HR documents were written, by whom, or which employee signed off on what.
Or whether they’re still right, or ever were. And where’s the latest version?
Sound familiar?
Courts, tribunals, and arbitrators don’t care who wrote your HR documents. They care about what they say.
Everything looks fine until there’s a conflict or you terminate someone.
That’s when you discover the employment agreement says one thing, the handbook says another, policies within the handbook contradict each other, and the paperwork the employee signed points in a completely different direction.
Instead of supporting your decision, your documents start arguing with each other.
And that’s an expensive time to find out they don’t work together.
A judge doesn’t care that Bob wrote one document, Salina wrote another, and ChatGPT wrote the latest version. They don’t care about your intentions. They care about what the documents say.
If your documents contradict each other, contain ambiguity, or include unenforceable language, the employer will be left holding the bag.
If your HR budget is limited, here’s your biggest bang for the buck
Your HR documents should work together as a system. When they’re written properly, everything else has a much better chance of working the way it should.
If you’re deciding where to invest limited HR dollars, start with your HR Essentials.
Professional development of the following 2 documents is often the biggest HR bang for your buck because these documents form the foundation for everything else:
We help reduce the load.
Practical. Cost-Effective. 100% Canadian.
We’ll create your HR foundation with HR Essentials.
Since 2006, more than 10,000 Canadian employers have trusted ConnectsUs HR for HR tools, resources, and support. HR services are now delivered through Sienna HR.
Same team. Same service. Same standards.
Every HR service engagement includes a complimentary 1-year HR Toolkit subscription (a $700 value).
