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Write a short staff handbook people will actually read
You've got a few staff and the rules live in your head. Get a plain, friendly handbook outline covering how things work, what you expect and the policies to check against Acas and GOV.UK.
The prompt · ChatGPT
Help me write a short staff handbook. My business: [what you do, number of staff] What causes confusion now: [e.g. swapping shifts, phones, breaks, holiday requests] How things work: [hours, breaks, uniform, holiday requests, calling in sick, pay day] First ask me up to 5 short questions. Wait for my answers. Then: 1. A handbook outline of no more than 10 short sections. 2. Plain, friendly wording for the day-to-day sections. 3. A list of formal policies (e.g. disciplinary, grievance) to write with Acas guidance, with the Acas links. 4. A one-page "first day" summary for new starters. Not legal advice. Only use what I've told you, leave blanks for anything I haven't given, and don't invent facts or figures. UK English. For Acas guidance on staff handbooks and the disciplinary and grievance code, use web search and name the page you used. If it doesn't search on its own, open View all tools and choose Search. Stay in this ChatGPT chat. Do not turn on apps or connectors, and do not use memory from another chat.
A short example
Fill the blanks, then paste. what you do, number of staff: a short note you already have. e.g. swapping shifts, phones, breaks, holiday requests: a short note you already have. Leave the rest of the prompt as written.
The prompt · Claude
Help me write a short staff handbook. My business: [what you do, number of staff] What causes confusion now: [e.g. swapping shifts, phones, breaks, holiday requests] How things work: [hours, breaks, uniform, holiday requests, calling in sick, pay day] First ask me up to 5 short questions. Wait for my answers. Then: 1. A handbook outline of no more than 10 short sections. 2. Plain, friendly wording for the day-to-day sections. 3. A list of formal policies (e.g. disciplinary, grievance) to write with Acas guidance, with the Acas links. 4. A one-page "first day" summary for new starters. Not legal advice. Only use what I've told you, leave blanks for anything I haven't given, and don't invent facts or figures. UK English. For Acas guidance on staff handbooks and the disciplinary and grievance code, use web search if you can and name the page. If you can't search, say what I should check myself. Stay in this Claude chat. Do not use a connector, and do not open a project that already holds someone else's files.
A short example
Fill the blanks, then paste. what you do, number of staff: a short note you already have. e.g. swapping shifts, phones, breaks, holiday requests: a short note you already have. Leave the rest of the prompt as written.
You describe your business, team and the things that cause confusion.
The assistant asks about hours, holidays, sickness, phones, breaks and pay.
You get a short handbook outline, plain wording for the day-to-day bits and a list of policies to check against official guidance.
What happens
Use Claude to write a short staff handbook people will actually read
You've got a few staff and the rules live in your head. Get a plain, friendly handbook outline covering how things work, what you expect and the policies to check against Acas and GOV.UK.
Tools
Paste the prompt, fill the blanks, copy the draft.
- Claude — required. Drafts from the text you paste. Nothing is sent.
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