Doing the Writing for an Effective Policy and Procedure Manual

Writing an effective policy and procedure manual comes down to brevity and clarity. Aim to develop a friendly, to-the-point style. You will not impress your employees with flowery prose in this document.

Just as you have done with other aspects of the manual, your writing style should reflect your company's philosophy and culture. Don't talk down to your employees, if your aim is to have a spirit of inclusiveness. Don't use a lot of technical jargon, if your desire is to be a friendly, down-to-earth business.

Work on developing a tone for all your business writing, whether it is this manual or your reports, letters, and other documents. Your tone as a writer reflects your company's attitude toward the reader, your employee. The tone of your written message affects the reader, just as your tone of voice affects the listener in everyday conversations.

To determine your tone, consider the purpose of your manual, which is to set written policies and procedures for your workplace. Also, consider your employees' needs, and what you want them to understand about your company.

Here are some overall guidelines to keep in mind for presenting your information in a professional tone.

Be confident. Use research to carefully prepare the document. Check and double-check your facts. If possible, compare your manual with what other companies in your industry, and of your size, offer. This background will help you write with a confident tone.

Be courteous. Write in a tone that is both approachable and sincere. Using words like "team" and "teamwork" will help everyone feel part of the organization.

Use non-discriminatory language. Avoid language that conveys bias about gender, race, age, and other factors in your manual, as it can put a wall up between you and your reader. Avoid using masculine pronouns when talking about a group. Also, use gender-neutral job titles, such as "chairperson" instead of "chairman," and use the word "spouse," instead of "wife," to avoid gender bias.

Stress the benefits for the worker. Using a positive tone stresses the benefits of your policies for your employees. Whenever possible, discuss how these rules are designed to make the workplace, a safer, more stress-free and more pleasant place to work.

Wherever possible, tailor the policy for your specific workplace, using key words and phrases that apply to your industry.

Write at an appropriate level of difficulty. Prepare your writing style to match the reading abilities of your employees. You can offend your readers with content that is either too complex, or too simplistic.

The National Adult Literacy Survey shows that the average American adult reads at the 7th grade level, with nearly half of readers below the 6th grade level, and about 80 percent below the 10th grade level. Take the time to think about the educational background of your employees to make sure you use a reading level that meets their needs.

You can use Microsoft Word to check the reading level of your material, or its Flesch-Kincaid grade level score. There are also some free services online that will check the readability of your document.