A manual that sits in a drawer protects nobody. Practical guidance on documenting how your business really works.
A policy and procedure manual is only valuable when it reflects how work is actually performed.
Start with the process, not the template Walk the process with the people who perform it. Document the real sequence, including the workarounds.
Separate policy from procedure Policy states the rule and who owns it. Procedure states the steps. Mixing the two makes both harder to maintain.
Audit what already exists Most businesses have more documentation than they think, and much of it is out of date. Identify deficiencies before writing anything new.
Assign an owner and a review date An undated manual becomes unreliable within a year.
Train to the document If staff were never trained on it, the manual is not a control.
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- #controls
- #operations
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