How to Implement a Company Policy

Even the smallest company operates within a specific strategy. Initially, it is a plan in the owner's head. Then - as the business grows - it is put on paper and passed on to subsequent employees. An important but often neglected element of the company's overall strategy is the company policy. What exactly is that? How to build it? You will find the answer to these and other questions related to HR strategy in this article.

Identify the need for a policy.

You want to put in one place the necessary policies and procedures to ensure a safe, organized, user-friendly, empowering, and non-discriminatory workplace. However, you don't want to write a policy for every exception to acceptable and expected behavior. Unfortunately, policy development is not a few exceptions for the many employees.

Having too many guidelines also increases the likelihood that your managers will apply them unequally and unfairly. Therefore, they increase the need to develop guidelines and communication tools to ensure that guidelines are applied fairly, consistently, and well administered.

It would help if you found a healthy balance when developing a new company policy. In most cases, you will not need to develop new company policies as long as you address employees behaving in a way that is inappropriate for your workplace.

These ten steps will help you determine the need for a policy by distributing and incorporating a policy. Check these guidelines to see if a policy is required.

For each reason a policy might be required, examples of the policies that might fall into this category of policy requirements are provided. A guideline is required:

if the actions of the employees indicate confusion about the most appropriate behavior (dress codes, e-mail and internet guidelines, smartphone use),

when guidance on the most appropriate course of action is required, various situations (norms of behavior, travel expenses, purchase of company goods)

if necessary to protect the company legally (rigorous investigation of allegations of harassment, non-discriminatory recruitment, and promotion)

To keep the company in compliance with government guidelines and laws, uniform working standards, rules and regulations (progressive discipline, safety rules, break the rules, smoking rules), fair treatment for employees (entitlement to benefits, paid time off, tuition allowance, period of mourning, jury duty).

There may be other reasons you might want to develop a policy, but keep in mind that one employee's bad behavior does not require a policy that affects all other employees.

Articulating the objective of the policy

After determining that a policy is required, determine the goal you want to achieve in writing that policy. If possible, share with employees why you are implementing the policy.

You need enough detail in the policy to make the company's position clear, but you can never hope to cover every potential situation addressed by the policy.

Hence, the goal with a policy is short and simple. However, realize that this may not be possible with guidelines on areas such as the company's approach to Family Medicine and Vacation, discrimination or complaint investigation, or the progressive disciplinary system.

Collect information

You're struggling to find the right sample policy for your company's circumstances, language, and culture. But do research online and find sample guidelines that provide a basis for revising sample guidelines instead of rewriting your guideline from scratch.

You can also subscribe to a BrainyHR system that provides samples such as HR guidelines and samples. External policy sources are also provided in this sample policy directory.

Develop and write the policy

Write the guideline using simple words and concepts. Then, speak directly to the people who will read, enforce, and live the policy.

Ask "what-if" questions after each paragraph to ensure the policy covers the basics and the normal exceptions and questions.

But don't obsess about it. As I said, no policy ever covers every possible contingency.

Review the policy

Select multiple employees or even a small pilot group to read the policy and ask questions about the policy. This review provides feedback that employees understand and can follow the policy.

Rewrite the policy based on the feedback.

Request management support for the policy

Review the policy with the managers who must lead and enforce the policy. You will want their support and ownership of the policy; you started this process much earlier when you identified the need for the policy. However, management support in implementing the policy is critical.

Request a legal review of the policy

If the policy has legal implications, is inherently contentious, and has personal implications for employees (such as security procedures), you should have your attorney review the policy before distributing it.

Make sure to tell your attorney that you don't want the policy to be rewritten into legal. Instead, you want the policy to be reviewed for legal implications and appropriate wording.

Implement the policy

In small groups, individually, or at a corporate meeting, depending on the controversial nature of the policy and the ease with which the new policy is understood, distributed, and reviewed. Allow employees to ask questions.