An employee referral program document is the internal policy you publish to staff explaining how to refer candidates, what happens next, and how rewards are structured. Use it to launch or formalize a referral scheme with clear eligibility, a simple submission process, and fairness rules everyone can see. It is a policy to publish, not an email to send.
A referral program only works if people understand it well enough to actually use it, and trust that it will be applied the same way for everyone. This document lays out the whole scheme in one place - who can take part, how a referral moves through the process, and how the reward structure works - so you are not answering the same questions one person at a time. Publish it somewhere every employee can find it, not buried in an email that gets deleted.
Purpose: [COMPANY NAME] wants current employees to help us find great people for open roles, and to recognize the effort behind a genuine, successful referral.
Who can refer: [FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AFTER PROBATION / ALL EMPLOYEES / EXCLUDING HR AND HIRING MANAGERS FOR THE ROLE THEY ARE HIRING] - state your rule here.
Eligible roles: [ALL OPEN ROLES / SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS OR LEVELS - list which roles qualify].
Not eligible: candidates who [APPLIED INDEPENDENTLY IN THE LAST TIMEFRAME / ARE ALREADY IN AN ACTIVE INTERVIEW PROCESS / ARE IMMEDIATE FAMILY OF THE REFERRER].
Step 1: Submit the candidate's name, contact details, and how you know them through [REFERRAL FORM LINK / ATS / HR EMAIL].
Step 2: The referral is logged and tracked against the open role in [SYSTEM NAME], with you listed as the referrer.
Step 3: The recruiting team reviews the referral alongside other applicants using the same criteria as any other candidate.
Step 4: You will get a short acknowledgement within [TIMEFRAME] confirming the referral was received and logged.
The candidate goes through the normal hiring process for the role - a referral does not guarantee an interview or an offer.
You will get an update at [KEY STAGES, e.g. SHORTLISTED / INTERVIEWED / OFFER MADE / HIRED OR NOT PROCEEDING].
If two employees refer the same candidate, the referral with the earlier timestamp in [SYSTEM NAME] is treated as the tie-breaker.
The [PROGRAMME OWNER / HR TEAM] is the point of contact for any question about where a referral stands.
Reward structure: referrers receive a reward tied to [ROLE LEVEL OR DEPARTMENT - describe the structure, not a figure] once the referred candidate is hired.
Payout milestone: the reward is paid after the new hire completes [PROBATION PERIOD / A SET NUMBER OF DAYS] with the company, to confirm the hire has stuck.
Multiple referrals: an employee may refer more than one candidate; each successful, eligible referral is tracked and rewarded separately.
Reward format: [CASH BONUS / GIFT / EXTRA LEAVE - state your company's chosen format here].
Referrals are reviewed against the same criteria as every other candidate; a referral shortens the path to a look, not to an offer.
Employees may not refer immediate family members or anyone they directly manage into a role where they would be involved in the hiring decision.
The programme owner reviews any referral where a conflict of interest is possible before it proceeds.
Submitting a referral after learning a candidate had already applied independently is not eligible for a reward.
Subject: Introducing our employee referral program
Hi team,
We are launching a referral program so you can help us find great people for open roles - and be recognized for it.
If you know someone who would be a strong fit for [OPEN ROLES / A SPECIFIC TEAM], submit them through [REFERRAL FORM LINK]. Full details on eligibility and rewards are at [POLICY LINK].
Thanks in advance for helping us grow the team the right way.
[YOUR NAME / PROGRAMME OWNER]
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