No matter what stage your business is in, there is always a need for HR policy. Whether you need to set up your first social media policy or update an outdated policy on remote working, the needs of the business are ever changing and it is critical that businesses evolve their policy along the way. It is no lie that creating policy can be quite intimidating, here are five steps to help you create policy that will help your business reach its highest potential -
1. Identify Needs & Gaps
Ultimately, businesses must understand their legal environment, organizational goals, and employee needs before they dive full force into creating policy. Is there a problem that the policy is working to solve?
2. Ensure Policy Is Aligned With Business Strategy
Is the policy you are going to implement going to align with your company goals? How will this help the company reach its goals? Before moving forward, it is important to understand the policy’s potential impact and generate tools that can help to measure the outcome of it.
3. Create The Policy
When actually creating the policy, it is highly recommended that you seek advice from an HR professional and/or legal expert. It is also important that it is drafted for your particular business and not just copied from something you find on google. The only way it can be comprehended is if it is catered for your business and its needs.
4. Communicate Policy Changes
It is critical that employees are informed when a policy is created or a current one is changed. It may also be beneficial that the company provide training sessions to help close any gaps and ensure there is understanding. Management should definitely undergo training so they can communicate policy to their direct reports.
5. Apply Policy
Once a policy is created for your business, it is then important to uphold it and apply it. Management should be communicating this with their teams and help guide their employees on the right track. In this stage, if you are noticing that the policy is not communicating what was intended, this would be the time to circle back and make necessary changes.
Small businesses must be able to operate in a way that is consistent with their goals. Ultimately, HR policies are the blueprint to improve internal processes and increase compliance. By having policy, it helps employees navigate what success in the business looks like. The policies are there for guidance on employment issues and it is not something you want to forgo. If you need help forming HR policy that aligns with your business goals, here at The HR Trail, LLC™ we can help! Let’s chat - https://www.thehrtrail.com/connect
