Create Your First Handbook

Build a legally compliant employee handbook in just a few steps

5-10 minutesQuick Start Guide

5-10 minUpdated 11 January 2026Reviewed for UK law

Sources:GOV.UK•ACAS

What You'll Learn

Understand the gap analysis dashboard

Create new policies using AI

Analyse and improve existing policies

Organise policies into groups

Add header and footer sections

Generate a publishable version

Start with Core Policies

We recommend creating all legally required (Core) policies first before moving to Recommended and Optional policies. This ensures your handbook meets the minimum legal requirements for UK employment law.

Review Your Gap Analysis

Start by visiting the Gap Analysis page in the app. This shows you all the policy types you need, organised by priority:

Core Policies

Legally required under UK employment law. Complete these first.

Recommended

Strongly advised for a complete handbook and best practice compliance.

Optional

Nice to have policies depending on your company's needs.

Pro tip: Each policy shows a Draft button for missing policies and a Paste button if you have existing content. Use Draft if you're starting fresh, or Paste if you want to analyse and improve an existing policy.

Create Your Policies

You have two ways to create policies, depending on whether you're starting from scratch or have existing content:

Option A: Draft a New Policy (AI Generated)

Best when you don't have an existing policy. Click Draft in Gap Analysis or visit the Policy Studio.

Select the policy type you want to create

Add any company-specific requirements (optional)

AI generates a complete, legally compliant policy

Review, edit if needed, and save to your handbook

Option B: Paste & Analyse Existing Policy

Best when you have an existing policy you want to check and improve. Click Paste or visit the Section Analyser.

Paste your existing policy content

AI analyses it against UK employment law

See issues flagged by severity (Critical, High, Medium, Low)

Click "Generate Re-draft" to fix all issues automatically

Review the change log, edit if needed, and save

Organise Into Groups

Once you have some policies, organise them into logical groups for better readability. Visit Groups to manage your handbook structure.

Example Group Structure

1. Introduction & Overview - Welcome, company values

2. Employment Basics - Contracts, probation, notice periods

3. Leave & Time Off - Annual leave, sick leave, parental leave

4. Conduct & Performance - Disciplinary, grievance, performance

5. Health & Wellbeing - Health & safety, mental health, flexible working

Add Header & Footer

Visit the Handbook page to add professional opening and closing sections.

📖 Header (Introduction)

Typically includes:

• Welcome message from leadership
• Company mission and values
• Purpose of the handbook
• How to use this document

📝 Footer (Closing)

Typically includes:

• Acknowledgement statement
• HR contact information
• Version number and date
• Next review date

AI Rewrite: After writing your header or footer, click "Rewrite with AI" to automatically apply your tone profile and ensure consistent language throughout your handbook.

Generate Your Version

When you're happy with your policies, header, and footer, click "Generate Version" on theHandbook page to create a publishable snapshot.

What Happens When You Generate

Creates a numbered version (v1, v2, v3...)

Locks that version for reference

Download as DOCX or PDF for distribution

Share via public link (optional)

Before generating: We recommend completing at least all Core (legally required) policies and reviewing the Gap Analysis to ensure you have a compliant handbook. You can always generate new versions as you add more policies.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to create an employee handbook with Bounda?

You can create a basic employee handbook in as little as 5-10 minutes using Bounda's AI-powered policy generation. A comprehensive handbook covering all legally required policies typically takes 1-2 hours, depending on how many existing policies you need to analyse and import.

What policies must a UK employee handbook contain?

UK employee handbooks must include a disciplinary procedure, grievance procedure, and health and safety policy. Additionally, employers must provide written particulars of employment covering hours, pay, and benefits. Recommended policies include equal opportunities, data protection/privacy, and sickness absence procedures.

Can I import my existing policies into Bounda?

Yes, you can paste your existing policies into Bounda's Section Analyser. The AI will check them against current UK employment law, identify compliance gaps, and suggest improvements. You can then accept the AI's redrafted version or manually edit as needed.

How does Bounda's AI policy generation work?

Bounda's Policy Studio uses AI trained on UK employment law to generate compliant policies from scratch. You select the policy type, provide context about your organisation, and the AI creates a professionally written policy following your chosen tone profile. All generated content is grounded in current UK legislation.

🎉 You're Ready to Get Started!

You now know how to create a complete employee handbook. Sign up for free to start building yours.

Browse More Guides

What's Inside the App

Gap Analysis

See what policies you need

Policy Studio

Generate policies with AI

Tone Profile

Define how policies should sound

Groups & Structure

Organise your handbook