Policies and procedures are important documents that outline the way an organization operates.
If you want people to follow them, they need to be clear and specific. In certain industries, the policies and procedures must pass the scrutiny of a licensing or regulatory body.
To start, it’s important to analyze when to create a policy or procedure. Perhaps there is already a policy, procedure or legislation that relates to the issue so a new one would be redundant. Or, it might be a very unusual issue that isn’t likely to happen again. However, if the consequences of a mistake are serious, then it might warrant having a policy or procedure just in case.
What can you do to ensure you have effective policies and procedures? We offer six best practices.
1. Focus on the User
Too often, policies and procedures are written from a management or Human Resources (HR) perspective. While a well written policy will help supervisors and managers make decisions and enforce procedures or rules, the best documents are written from the perspective of users as well. Policies and procedures should be a resource for employees to learn or reference how to handle a situation and understand why it’s important. It should be clear who is responsible for specific actions.
2. Include Only Necessary Information
Don’t include irrelevant information, even if it pertains to your topic. Only include information users must have to accomplish a task or understand a rule. Policies and procedures should contain essential details, such as what issue or task it concerns, who it affects and when, and how it is to be followed.
3. Use Plain Language
Write using language that all users can understand while being clear, concise, and specific. Some managers think that writing policies and procedures is serious and formal, so they use legal language, complex vocabulary, and complicated sentences. However, the intention of policies and procedures it that they are quick, helpful guidelines for dealing with issues or tasks. Writing them in plain language that is accessible to a general audience helps prevent confusion and incorrect interpretations.
4. Use a Neutral Tone
Encourage cooperation with a neutral, respectful tone. People respond better when it’s assumed they will meet expectations, not when it’s assumed they will fail to comply with expectations. For example, compare:
- Not neutral: Problem employees who behave badly by causing physical injury to another person, making threatening remarks, or acting in an aggressive manner are engaging in prohibited conduct.
- Neutral: The following behaviours are examples of prohibited conduct considered unacceptable violence in the workplace: causing physical injury to another person, making threatening remarks, or acting in an aggressive manner.
5. Reflect Current Practices
All policies and procures should reflect current practices and be kept up to date. Don’t include information that addresses past practices or issues. Outdated information should be edited out of the policy or procedure and any new information included. When applicable, ensure the policy and procedure complies with provincial or federal laws and regulations as well as with industry regulations or requirements. The revisions should be recorded and dated so that it’s clear which policy or procedure is the most up to date.
6. Focus on Stable Conditions
Policies and procedures should focus on stable conditions, meaning situations that don’t change constantly. Because policies and procedures can’t offer guidance for all possible situations, they should be written for the most likely circumstances. More detailed process guidelines can be offered instead to key staff members in training.
