How to Write an HR Policy Manual for Your Company (with Template)
How to Write an HR Policy Manual for Your Company (with Template)
An HR policy manual is the one document that tells every employee and every manager “this is how we work here”. Without it, policies live in emails and chat messages, each manager applies them differently, and disputes never end.
This guide explains what an HR policy manual is, how it differs from the work regulations required by Egyptian Labor Law 14/2025, the 15 chapters every manual needs, and how to write one step by step. A free Word template is included.
An HR policy manual is an internal guide covering the whole employee journey, from the job advert to the exit clearance. In Egypt it sits next to, not instead of, the work regulations that every employer with 10 or more workers must submit to the labour office.
| Also calledEmployee handbook | Chapters15 | ReviewAt least yearly | TemplateWord |
Policy manual vs. work regulations in Egypt
| Work regulations (لائحة تنظيم العمل) | HR policy manual | |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory? | Yes, for employers with 10+ workers (art. 137) | No, but essential for consistency |
| Approved by | The labour office (decree 162/2026) | Company management |
| Content | 15 mandatory items + offences and penalties | Detailed policies, procedures and forms |
| Changes | Go back to the labour office | Internal decision + yearly review |
| Language | Arabic | Arabic and/or English |
Keep in mind. Your policy manual must never contradict the approved work regulations or reduce any right the law gives employees. The best approach is to write both together: the rules in the work regulations, the details and forms in the manual.
The 15 chapters of an HR policy manual
- Introduction and scope
- Recruitment and selection
- Employment contracts and probation
- Personnel file and personal data
- Working hours and attendance
- Pay and benefits
- Leave
- Performance management
- Training and development
- Promotion, transfer and secondment
- Code of conduct, confidentiality and conflicts of interest
- Investigation, discipline and grievances
- Occupational health and safety
- End of employment
- Approval and amendment
Each chapter in the template answers three questions: what the policy is, who does what, and which form is used. Legal limits are built in where Egyptian law sets them, for example:
| Topic | Legal point to reflect | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Contracts | Written in Arabic, four copies | Art. 89 |
| Probation | Max. three months, only once with the same employer | Art. 90 |
| Personnel file | Required content; keep 5 years after exit | Art. 92 |
| Notice | Three months’ written notice for indefinite contracts | Art. 156 |
| Resignation | Written and approved by the labour office; decided within 10 days | Art. 167 |
| Exit | Experience certificate within 15 days of the request | Art. 175 |
How to write your manual, step by step
Week 1
Map what already happens
List actual working hours, leave practice, pay dates and every benefit people receive today, written or not. Decree 162/2026 (art. 3) requires benefits already applied in practice to be kept.
Week 2
Check it against the law
Compare each practice with Labor Law 14/2025 and your work regulations. Fix anything below the legal minimum.
Weeks 3–4
Draft chapter by chapter
Use the template. Plain language, short sentences, one owner per process.
Week 5
Review with managers
Each manager reviews the chapters that affect their team before approval.
Week 6
Approve and roll out
Management approval, a copy to every employee and a signed acknowledgement in each personnel file.
In practice: The most common mistake is copying another company’s manual. It will not match your real practice, and in Egypt a policy that silently drops an existing benefit can be read as a reduction of employees’ rights.
FAQ about HR policy manuals
What is an HR policy manual?
A written internal guide to a company’s HR policies and procedures: hiring, contracts, attendance, pay, leave, appraisal, discipline and exit.
Is an HR policy manual mandatory in Egypt?
The law does not require a policy manual, but employers with 10 or more workers must prepare work regulations and submit them to the labour office (Labor Law 14/2025, art. 137).
Should the manual be in Arabic or English?
Arabic is the reference language for employment documents in Egypt. Many companies add an English version for international staff. The Arabic template is in our article لائحة الموارد البشرية للشركة.
How often should it be reviewed?
At least once a year and whenever the law or ministerial decrees change.
Summary
Start from what really happens in your company, check it against the law, write it chapter by chapter and roll it out with a signed acknowledgement. The template saves you from starting with a blank page.
Want a policy manual written for your company?
Careerians writes your HR policy manual and your work regulations together, based on your real practice and aligned with Egyptian Labor Law 14/2025, including the forms and procedures.
Read also:
10 HR Steps Every New Company in Egypt Must Take
Policy Manual Getting Started. How to Write a Policy Manual?
لائحة تنظيم العمل – اسئلة شائعة
لائحة الموارد البشرية للشركة – HR Policy Manual
More explainers on our YouTube channel: Careerians on YouTube
Legal points are taken from Egyptian Labor Law No. 14 of 2025 (arts. 89, 90, 92, 137, 156, 167, 175) and Minister of Labour decree No. 162 of 2026. The template is for guidance and must be adapted to each company; it is not legal advice.
