Policies and Procedures

These areas are very important to every business: the written understanding of the internal controls, policies, and procedures that become the tools needed in today's competitive market place. When standards and directions are written they become the maps for all workers to navigate on the right path with certainty. When procedures are left up to the employee the business risks loss of productivity and possible profits from the trial and error method. It is the company's responsibility to find the best methods to complete the tasks.

What manuals or handbooks are needed to run a successful business? The basics of the business must first be defined and 'systems' can be built from there. Put every system in a manual that employees can follow. Some of the usual basics are: safety compliance, employee policies, hiring and termination policies, accounting manual, administrative manual with templates, and other documents covering an integrated system of standard operating procedures. Still more documents needed are internal controls with checklists and evaluation tools, business and strategic planning reports with forecasting and capital budgeting, HR procedure, and marketing tools.