Working on Policies and Procedures as a Team
If deciding what should be included in a policy and procedure manual seems daunting to you, there is no reason to go it alone. In fact, you can get your team involved in the process.
Your company will benefit from this group experience in several ways. First, your team members will feel more invested in your firm when they work on the manual. Second, you will gain a variety of different perspectives. Lastly, you will get much more accomplished with less stress and less time spent on the project.
According to Jon Katzenbach, author of The Wisdom of Teams, when people work together toward a common goal, three key benefits result:
- greater problem solving
- enhanced productivity
- better use of resources
There also are "soft" benefits to a team approach to preparing your policy and procedure manual. First, people enjoy working together on a shared goal. When people work together on a project, they develop new skills and learn from each other. Finally, teamwork provides your employees with a renewed sense of purpose that is motivating.
Writing your company's policy and procedure manual can be a learning experience for all of you. Make it a team effort by inviting cooperative work on the project.
One way to accomplish this is by using your working table of contents as an outline. Depending on the size of your company, give each staff member or department head a different section to research and develop.
A good policy is a natural outgrowth of the company's philosophy and overall mission and goals and objectives. Policy development occurs when a key group of people meets to analyze, discuss and reach consensus on specific policy statements.
If you have a large company, you might ask for volunteers from each department to join a policy and procedures committee. Another idea is to ask each department head for a recommendation for members.
What is the right size for this committee? Unfortunately, there are no clear answers. We do know the right committee size depends on the size of your company. According to Evan Wittenberg, of the Wharton Graduate Leadership Program, team size research is inconclusive, but effective decision-making teams tend to fall into the five- to 12-member range.
Consider grouping your team members in groups of five-to-12 to brainstorm each section of your manual. Committee members should review any past policies and procedures, as well as any legal requirements.
The committee can begin by going over the benefits of having a well-written, well thought-out policy and procedure manual. These benefits include:
Motivation. The handbook can give employees a sense of being a part of a team. If your manual includes information about the company's history and its goals, it can provide motivation for renewing employees' interest in their jobs and help keep them involved in the company's success.
Reference. With a clear manual, everyone knows the rules of the workplace. It helps make the enforcement of rules and regulations and the discipline for an infraction easier and fairer for everyone.
Protection. If legal claims are brought against the company, the manual can provide evidence that there were clear and reasonable rules against certain conduct. Further, it can show that these rules were communicated and fairly enforced.
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