No policy or procedure = random decisions.
Policy is a guide that stipulates the approach, broad rules, regulations and objectives, used in managers’ decision-making. It is flexible and can be easily interpreted and understood by all employees. An example may be, “It is our policy that all employees be paid on time”. Procedure is instructions on how the policy is to be implemented, for example, “To ensure that all employees are paid on time, follow these steps. Step 1…”.
Managers know that if staff lack policy guidance against which to test decisions, their decisions will be random, and so work aggressively to create policy and procedure (P&P) around areas that are vague, new or unclear. Managers appreciate that P&P increases the value of the business, and ensure all documents match style guidelines and dove-tails in neatly with existing P&P, assessment systems, position descriptions, and Principles-of documents.
P&P exists for many areas of the business. In these instances, managers ensure it is followed. This P&P has been created during the formation of the business, and is the result of trying many options and methods to arrive at the best possible workflow.
Should changes be suggested – something that is always be encouraged, if they will increase efficiency, automate processes, reduce workload, or make the work more enjoyable – they must be reviewed considering the objectives and other effects, then tested, and if successful, incorporated into the documented P&P and related systems.
Managers ensure all staff meet Company and official OHS regulations, and the established safety policies and procedures. They ensure safety is considered and applied for all documentation developed.
Managers ensure that Detailed Duties Lists (DDL) and associated checklists are followed correctly and submitted on time. They understand that rote tasks are key to maintaining standards and keeping the company meeting its objectives.
Managers check staff’s work matches P&P by actively and regularly looking for problems, or places where positive feedback should be delivered. Problems are identified and discussed with the employee, to ensure there are no future breaches. Professional managers work to systemise all processes, so they are instinctive, intuitive, routine, self-regulating, and subconscious. They make new policy “self-executing” with checks, reporting and auditing built-in, actively de-key-man roles and individuals, to make this task frictionless, and design systems to be easy to maintain.
Of course, all of this applies to managers themselves, as well as the employees they manage!
