Real Estate Office Policy Manuals

Overview Statement

Quick Takeaways

Have legal counsel review your employee handbook yearly
Update the handbook regularly
The handbook is not a contract

Source: Creating an Effective Employee Handbook for Your Business (Paychex, Oct. 11, 2024)

An effective office policy uses clear language, contains a wide scope of policies and should require employees to sign an acknowledgment that have read and understood the manual.

Here are five key elements that should be included in an office policy manual:

Code of Conduct and Ethics: Clearly outline expected behavior, dress code, and workplace etiquette to maintain a professional and respectful work environment.
Attendance and Work Hours: Define office hours, attendance expectations, break periods, and procedures for reporting absences or tardiness.
Compensation and Benefits: Provide information on salary policies, pay periods, performance reviews, and details of employee benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans.
Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Policies: Establish a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and discrimination, including procedures for reporting and addressing complaints.
Use of Company Resources: Set guidelines for the appropriate use of company equipment, internet and email usage, and social media conduct to protect company assets and maintain productivity.

These key elements help ensure clarity, consistency, and a positive working environment for all employees.

Some states have policy manual templates for their members. Members are encouraged to contact their state association to see if a template is available.

See References for more information.

References

NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require a password.

What a Policy Manual Should Do

The policy manual must set an appropriate tone and convey fundamental ideas to guide all employees.
Use clear, concise and uncomplicated language.
Keep all policies wide in scope and general in nature.
Establish procedures that clarify any potential issues.
Provide specific policies about compensation, termination, training and development, and employment rules.
Require staff to sign a statement acknowledging they have read and understand the manual.

Source: Developing a Policy Manual (National Association of REALTORS® Human Resources Toolkit)

Real Estate Office Policies

Back to Basics: Documents, Forms and Manuals Brokers Need (REALTOR® Magazine Media, Oct. 9, 2024)

Policy and procedures manual: This office handbook is a road map for agents, spelling out the workings of the brokerage and how they should conduct themselves, McGuire says. The document should include the main office address, office hours, codes of conduct and of ethics, continuing education options and requirements, marketing guidelines and requirements, and more. Since Incorvaia wanted to produce a manual “people would read,” he limited the length to eight pages.

Drafting a Policy Manual

Policies and Procedures: Examples for the Workplace (Indeed, Feb. 25, 2025)

Physical and cybersecurity are essential for your business. Breaches put your business at risk of the potential for lost property, damage and stolen information. Explain specific procedures for securing the workplace and individual workstations. Include cybersecurity regulations, which might cover passwords, where staff can use company devices, the use of encryption as well as prohibited activities using company equipment or internet connections.

Creating an Effective Employee Handbook for Your Business (Paychex, Oct. 11, 2024)

A work environment constantly adapts and evolves to improve itself and better meet the needs of the business and employees. An employee handbook is a static document in a dynamic environment. A page dedicated to disclaimer information explains that the employee handbook cannot address every situation in a workplace, even if updated regularly.

Best Practices for Creating an Employee Handbook in 2025 (Lift HCM, Aug. 20, 2024)

Establish clear expectations for professional behavior and conduct in the workplace. This section should cover topics such as dress code, communication guidelines, social media use, and conflict resolution. Provide examples of acceptable and unacceptable behavior to help employees understand the company's expectations.

Developing a Policy Manual (National Association of REALTORS® Human Resources Toolkit)

Be sure to check out the 'related documents' in the box on the right side of the page for sample drug and harassment policy suggestions.

Sample Policy Manuals & Manual Templates

Several state associations have developed sample policy manuals for their members, not all of which are available on the open web. Members are encouraged to contact their state association to see if a template is available.

Note: Many of these samples were developed by state or local associations based on local laws and regulations that may be different from those of your state. As with any legal document, you are strongly encouraged to seek legal counsel to make sure your version is compliant with the law after you modify it for your business. Again, these samples are meant to be used as guides for members. The information should not be construed as a recommendation by NAR for any course of action regarding financial, legal or accounting matters. It is not meant as a substitute for professional advice from a qualified legal, accounting or financial professional.

8 Employee Handbook Examples You Should Steal From (Roots, Mar. 6, 2025)

Pronto Marketing's employee handbook webpage is an example of a near-perfect employee handbook. The firm produced an easy-to-read and appealing guide while ensuring that no crucial information gets omitted. Moreover, their contemporary-looking table of contents informs what readers are getting into, which is straight-up excellent.

ILLINOIS REALTORS® Sample Office Policy Manualpdf (Illinois REALTORS®, 2025)

Illinois REALTORS® assists its members in conducting their businesses in an ethical and professional manner. This sample office policy manual is one such product and is also a significant tool for its members to reduce risk in their businesses. It is only a sample. It is assumed that the
individual member will use whatever is appropriate for the member's business and will make additions, deletions, or other appropriate modifications to this sample manual, in cooperation with the member's legal counsel, to fit the needs of the individual business.

NC REALTORS® MODEL OFFICE POLICY MANUALpdf (NC REALTORS®. Jun. 1. 2024)

The NC REALTORS® has developed this Model Office Policy Manual (the “Manual”) as a guide in the preparation of policy manuals for real estate offices. Although an attempt has been made to make the Manual as comprehensive as possible, there are undoubtedly other things not addressed in the Manual that could be addressed in your office policy manual. Just because a particular item is not addressed in the Manual does not necessarily mean that it would be inappropriate to include that item in your office policy manual. On the other hand, your office policy manual does not necessarily need to address each and every item set forth in the Manual.

How to Write and Update Your Employee Handbook + Template (Workforce Hub, Sep. 13, 2022)

An employee handbook should be a living document. For this reason, you should make proactive updates. Companies that have been keeping their handbook current have prevented many problems. For example, those that created a social media policy 20 years ago saved a lot of hassle. Similarly, those that trained hiring managers on legal interview questions reduced the risk of a lawsuit. In addition, those that addressed sexual harassment were ahead of the game.

A Broker’s Guide to Creating a Policy and Procedure Manualpdf (ARELLO, 2012) [links to PDF document]

Prepared by real estate regulators to assist a broker who is considering owning and/or operating a real estate brokerage, as this endeavor comes with much responsibility and liability.

Employer-Employee Guidelines (National Association of REALTORS®)

When implementing employment policies pursuant to these Guidelines, the association should affirm the at-will status of its employees and include language to disclaim the formation of a contract with its employees. The association should also consult with legal counsel to ensure that the disclaimer and policies are consistent with applicable law.

eBooks & Other Resources

Books, Videos, Research Reports & More

As a member benefit, the following resources and more are available for loan through the NAR Library. Items will be mailed directly to you or made available for pickup at the REALTOR® Building in Chicago.

365 Answers About Human Resources for the Small Business Owner (eBook)

Office Policy Manual (Madison, WI: Wisconsin REALTORS® Association, 2007) HF 5438 W75

Office Policy Manual (Novato, CA: Professional Publishers, Inc. 2000) HF 5438 M19o

Policies and Procedures Manual: A Guide for Success in Real Estate (Tallahassee, FL: The Real Estate School, 1998) HF 5438 P75p

Workplace Law and Office Policies (Chicago, IL: National Association of REALTORS®, 2001) HF 5549 N16wl

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