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Hooking Your Reader




By now, you realize that it will take some time and effort to create an effective policy and procedure manual. But what if you do all that work and nobody really reads it?

What if you can't know who reads it, and who doesn't? Kris Dunn, who writes the HR Capitalist blog, suggests testing your employees by sneaking some odd and unexpected information into your employee handbook. One of her suggestions is to state that employees who quit within three months of being hired will be required to wash the HR director's car once a week for six months. She encourages you to offer employees that spot the absurdity a prize.

That is one way to see who really reads your manual, but there are other ways to get the readership you want -- and need.

Remember that a policy establishes clear rules of what will be done, or not be done, in an organization. Policies range from broad philosophies, to specific rules. Procedures are the steps needed to follow through on that policy.

Despite our best intentions, we are all busy and want to read about what has a direct impact on our welfare. Your best bet for hooking the reader, then, is to write with your reader's best interests in mind.

Your manual's foreword or introduction is the most important component for hooking the reader.

Here are two introductions to a document. Read them both and see which one is more compelling.

  1. This manual has been written with the intention of giving employees of the company a better understanding of how things work here.

  2. Fifteen years ago, I started this company out of my parent's garage. I didn't need an employee manual. It was just me, after all.

Today, we have more than 5,000 employees in six states, and we need to simplify things. You're part of the XYZ team now, and we want you to know who we are and what we do. So we have created...

If you're like most people, you are more interested in the second introduction. It is more personal and interesting.

The document's foreword will set the stage for reader interest. Make sure it reflects the culture of your company and the professionalism of your management. An excellent place to start is by asking yourself the following questions:

Why am I writing this document?

How will it help the reader?

What action do I want the reader to take after reading the document?

The answers you come up with for these simple questions will help you create a manual that is both purposeful and meaningful.

After the introduction, it is time to focus on policies. Your first job is to make sure there is a real need for the policy, and convey that need to the readers. Then follow these steps:

  1. Select a clear and simple title that reflects the policy's content.

  2. Determine the date the policy will go into effect.

  3. Assign the policy a version number, and increase that version number whenever you revise that policy.

  4. Write a concise purpose statement for the policy.

  5. Draft the complete, yet to-the-point, text of the policy.

  6. Explain to readers to whom the policy applies, as well as the consequences of non-compliance.

  7. Define any terms or acronyms that are unique to your organization.

  8. Provide sources and contact information for workers to get help if they need it.

  9. Cite any outside authorities that are responsible for the policies, or that require the policies.

  10. Include any related forms, or other related policies and procedures.



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