Most organizations go about their businesses without establishing a standard operation procedure to guide their interaction with employees. Often, the result of doing this is loss of profits, inefficiencies, injury of employees and many others. The reason such companies do not set up standard procedures is either because they are ignorant of the need to have them in place or because they are just reluctant to develop them. In some situations, organizations have the operating procedures in place but they pay no attention to them and therefore do not utilize their provisions in managing employee affairs. There are many reasons why you need working operating procedures for employees, here are the most important reasons:
1. They make it easy to communicate and provide quality control
Standard operation procedures that are structured properly enable an organization to communicate the responsibilities that each employee has clearly. This makes it easy for employees to know what is expected of them and they do not have to depend on memory. Also such procedures make it easier to control quality and ensure consistency within the organization. They help in ensuring that tasks that are core to the effective running of an organization are undertaken, irrespective of who is working and what day it is. They enhance employee security since every person in the organization is aware of their responsibilities.
2. They improve employee productivity
When employees have clear communication about what an organization expects of them, they are likely to perform optimally and are more productive in their work. Having standard operation procedures also improves the productivity of managers because they do not have to spend too much retraining their employees or sending them reminders of what they need to do on a daily basis.
3. They create a safe working environment for employees
Having employee procedures that are clearly written and proper training reduces instances of workplace injuries and accidents because all tasks are well documented. They are also instrumental in reducing an organization’s legal liabilities incase accidents occur.
4. They allow for cross training of employees
Most organizations have employees who perform specific tasks. Where there is an operating procedure in place, other employees can get training so that they can be able to step in and complete such tasks when those key players are either sick or on vacation.
5. They facilitate evaluation of employee performance
When employee tasks are well documented, it becomes easier to hold them to account. Standard procedures enable an organization to evaluate the performance of individual employees in an objective way. Managers are able to identify the successes of employees and communicate the areas they need to improve clearly during mid-year and end year reviews. In terms of taking disciplinary action against employees, managers are able to justify their moves to either discipline or terminate and employee using tasks that are clearly defined rather that by using blanket job descriptions. As such, employees are motivated to do stuff the right way so that they can be rewarded after appraisal.
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