As a team grows from dozens to hundreds of people, contracts drafted in a hurry at the start can become a source of risk. This guide summarises what to standardise: contract types, confidentiality, probation, pay and supporting records.
In the early days, many businesses use a single employment contract template for every role, or adapt one found online. As headcount grows quickly and new branches or outlets open, small differences between contracts can lead to disputes and to difficulties at personal income tax finalisation or during labour and social insurance inspections. Drawing on its work standardising HR documentation for service chains, Corvane's Corporate Legal team sets out what to address early.
1. Build a set of templates by role group
- Group roles: managers, office staff, store or production staff, freelancers.
- Give each group its own template covering working hours, workplace, allowances and specific benefits.
- Distinguish clearly between employment contracts and service or freelance agreements, so that the label matches the substance.
2. Probation and transition
Set out the probation period, probationary pay and how results will be communicated. Many disputes arise simply because a business lets an employee keep working after probation without signing a formal contract.
3. Pay, bonuses and allowances
- Separate base salary, allowances, bonuses and other support, stating which are fixed and which depend on performance.
- Keep contracts, the pay and bonus policy and actual payroll consistent — this is also the basis for social insurance contributions and tax.
4. Confidentiality and intellectual property
For roles with access to client data, formulas, source code or business strategy, use a separate confidentiality agreement that defines the protected information, its duration and ownership of work created during employment.
5. Workplace rules and supporting records
- Workplace rules, salary scales and internal policies should be issued, registered or notified as required.
- Keep HR records in one place: contracts, annexes, decisions and minutes, organised for quick retrieval.
- Review contracts nearing expiry regularly so they are renewed or converted to the right type on time.
“An employment contract isn't just paperwork; it is the first commitment a business makes to its people. Standardising when the team is 50 people is far easier than when it is 500.” — Mr Vu Duc Thanh, Partner, Corporate Legal, and co-founder, Corvane Advisory
When to review again
Businesses should review their employment documentation when new rules on labour, wages or social insurance take effect; when opening a branch in a new location; before raising capital or a merger; and at least once a year. This guide is general in nature — how it applies depends on each business's sector, size and circumstances.
A practical first step is to inventory all existing contracts, group them by role and flag those missing annexes or nearing expiry — usually a task of only a few days, but one that shows clearly how much standardisation is needed.
