Your company runs on unique rules that guide the actions of employees. A policies and procedures manual provides a written record of these guidelines and offers significant benefits to your business. It is, therefore, very important that you have a well-constructed policies and procedures manual from your human resources (HR) department.
Setting up a policies and procedures manual can be difficult for businesses, no matter their size. However, the benefits associated with these manuals can make them worth it. NetPEO can help you develop a policies and procedures manual to guide your business.
The Definition of a Policies and Procedures Manual
A company’s policies and procedures manual should be an incredibly detailed document that covers all the principles followed by an organization. The manual should include information about how company policies are implemented or carried out with logical steps.
The guidelines in a policies and procedures manual can cover every area of your business, including issues associated with:
- Recruitment and termination.
- Compensation, benefits, vacation, and other forms of leave.
- Disciplinary actions, accident reporting, and the formal complaint process.
- Working conditions, health and safety, and privacy.
Uses of a Policies and Procedures Manual
Policies and procedures manuals are all about communicating your expectations to employees. This communication serves your company directly in a number of ways:
Avoiding Inconsistencies
Your policies and procedures manual should detail exactly how specific situations should be handled. Issues associated with employee tardiness and employee responsibilities should be clearly outlined by the manual. This means that if something goes wrong, you have clear directions to follow every time, ensuring that the actions of management are consistent.
Protecting Against Legal Actions
Following the rules set forth in your policies and procedures manual can provide you with a defense against lawsuits. You should ensure the guidelines in your manual adhere to legal principles and that you follow them. Then, if you are accused of an unlawful act, you can prove that you followed the rules to clear your company’s name.
Training Employees
A well-crafted policies and procedures manual should provide employees with information about their position in the company and their responsibilities. It should communicate to workers how to report any concerns or questions that they have. This manual should let employees know what their tasks will be and why they need to carry out their jobs.
General Guidelines for a Policies and Procedures Manual
The policies and procedures manual used by your company should be straightforward and easy to understand. You should make sure that you used unbiased language and define any terms that might not be easily understood.
It is recommended that you include the possibility of exceptions to company policies, though this does not apply in all situations. Understanding that your policies and procedures cannot possibly apply to every situation can help you craft a manual that will serve your company for years to come.
Creating a Policies and Procedures Manual
Developing your company’s policies and procedures manual can be a difficult, thankless task. Some policies and procedures manual templates are available, but they may not appropriately address the needs of your company. Setting up this manual typically involves:
- Developing and drafting policy content.
- Writing procedures for the policy.
- Having important parties review the policy.
- Approving and implementing the policy.
Once you complete the above steps, your initial policies and procedures manual can be shared with employees. However, you are still not finished with the manual. You will need to review and update your policies and procedures over time, to make sure the manual stays up to date with your current needs.
Any changes made to the manual will need to be communicated immediately to your employees, so they can adopt new guidelines and regulations.
Getting Help with a Policies and Procedures Manual
You can easily become overwhelmed trying to develop a policies and procedures manual for your company. Luckily, you do not have to create this document on your own. NetPEO offers human resources administration services that include the development of business forms.
Working with a company that offers human resource outsourcing can allow you to make the challenging creation of a policies and procedures manual simple. NetPEO has 11 years of nationwide experience working with businesses to handle difficult HR tasks. We’ll work with you to develop business manuals and to fulfill the rest of your HR needs.
Our company offers full HR service packages, or you can pick and pay for only the services you need. Let us help you set up guidelines for your company that can help your business grow while offering you legal protection. You can contact us for a free quote. Call us today at (770) 766-4180 or fill out the form on the right to start addressing your HR needs.
