What if one of your employees never showed up to work again? What if YOU could never work again? What would happen in the short term and long term?
Don't like your answers to these questions? This is why it is vital to have documentation of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
An essential part of operations
Creating SOPs is a great way for businesses to keep a record of what and how work is actually being done. It is a way to make sure that if one person left the team unexpectedly, another employee could jump in and do the job with minimal downtime. It also ensures proper procedures are being followed to reduce errors, risks, lawsuits, time and money.
Whose job is it?
All management and employees. HR can help with the formality and the process, but it is up to each division or role within the company to create and keep these documents current.
Keeping it current
Each role is modified to fit business needs as a business grows or implements change. To prepare for the inevitable loss of an employee and to hold employees accountable, you must keep written step-by-step procedures current — including the monthly, quarterly, biannual, and annual tasks that are easiest to forget.
How to do it
Pick a task.
Explain the purpose of the task briefly.
Clarify the scope, including related policy, rules or regulations.
Define who is responsible for doing the task.
Describe the step-by-step procedure.
Provide references that help the person complete the process.
Review and verify it makes sense.
Save it somewhere management and relevant employees can access.
Pick a review time-frame that works for your company.
What now?
Management should hold employees accountable for following the procedures and keeping them up to date. Use SOPs as a guideline for training new employees — not as a replacement for face-to-face or hands-on training.