Tips on How to Write a Policy & Procedure Task Outline

Creating a policies and procedures manual isn’t always among the top bucket list of every business owner, especially because creating detailed steps is tedious. However, for you to succeed in your business, you should be willing to engage and follow simple written directions.

last updated Monday, April 1, 2024
#Policy and Procedure #Format and Substance

---



John Burson

Subscribe

QUICK LINKS

The policies and procedures manual may not include all the steps of a specific task, it will include some of the key steps. Your main objective should be to make the procedures manual easy for all users to follow. This means you should first define your audience before writing the policies and procedures manual.

Format and Substance

You can follow a template, a design, a format, or a set of guidelines that will help your employees to analyze different tasks. Proceed to analyze the task by doing it yourself or observe a trusted employee doing it. Identify some major steps and consider whether the users can make decisions after following the steps in the outline.

Language                       

Your choice of words when writing the outline is important. Therefore, identify your readers and their experience and training. In case they don’t have experience, your outline should be detailed. Ensure that you use simple language with strong connecting words and action verbs. You should also delete any unnecessary words that might be wordy and also confusing. Adjectives that won’t enhance the meaning of technical terms shouldn’t be used.

Considerations

Your policies and procedures manual should clearly distinguish between policies and procedures. A good policy will also explain why it’s important to members of the company. The manual should explain how the position or the organization's rule is implemented. Your policies and procedures manual may not include related procedures. However, procedures can be under the same policy.

Style

Numbered or Bulleted lists are easier to follow. First, ensure that the items in your list are as short as possible, for instance, one to two sentences long. Secondly, envision the implementation of the policies and procedures manual. Ensure that you remain consistent so that all users can follow your outline easily and also be able to perform their tasks similarly. Finally, encourage your readers to review the outline to ensure that they can easily follow from start to finish. Proceed and fix any problems that your reviewers may have identified.

 
 
 

Subscribe to Paperfree Magazine