Policy Writing for Small Businesses
- Author Sam Pearce
- Published June 1, 2017
- Word count 616
Running a small business can be a challenge when it comes to policies and procedures just as much as for a medium or large business. However, policies are essential for the running of any business as they provide employees with clear rules and procedures in the workplace as well as convey professionalism to clients.
A business with fewer than 50 employees could actually require as many policy documents as its larger counterparts, and it will certainly need the same number of legally required ones. Take a health and safety policy, for example – it is actually a legal requirement to have this policy in writing if you have five or more employees. The same goes for setting out your discipline and grievance procedures in a policy to cover you for disciplinary action.
In addition to these, there are many more policies which are required as a minimum, regardless of business size, including:
Recruitment and selection process
Equal opportunities policy
Harassment and bullying
Code of conduct
Sickness absence
Annual leave
Parental rights
Statutory rules on retirement
Statutory flexible working arrangements
Pay and pensions information
The first thing to consider is the size and nature of your small business as well as the risks that accompany it. Areas to think about are:
If there is a risk that someone providing a service for your business might carry out an act of bribery, an anti-bribery policy should be put in place.
If your business holds personal information including customer or employee records, you should hold a data protection/confidential information policy.
If you are offering employees expenses or benefits for their work, put the details in a rewards, expenses and benefits policy.
Some very small businesses may not require these at all. These are just a few examples of policies that may or may not affect or be relevant to your business. It is important to check every area of your business and associated risks to ensure that you are dealing with all potential scenarios. Employees have the right to be protected and understand their work rights and the business is in a much stronger position if it is able to refer and adhere to a written policy.
Who writes the policies is up to the manager/s but should remain as consistent as possible, bringing in other staff as necessary depending on the policy. The adopted policies should ideally be laid out in an employee or company handbook but could be written as separate documents. It is worth noting though that discipline and grievance policies must be put in a written statement about the main terms and conditions of employment. Alternatively, you can refer to the policies in writing to acknowledge a place where the employee can find and read them e.g. the company intranet. Staff need to know that policies such as these exist from as early on as their induction. The intranet or noticeboard is a good place to keep these so that employees can easily access them when necessary.
Although setting up policies is considered daunting, the writing of these is essential to the smooth running of a small business. Remember to cover all scenarios for your business and stay ahead of new legislation and guidelines to keep up to date. Communicating new policies to fewer than 50 employees and equipping them with the vital knowledge of these should not be a difficult prospect. Those working in a small business deserve their rights to proper policies and procedures as much as those in larger businesses. If anything, the repercussions of something going wrong in a small business may be felt just as much as (or more than) a larger one and should not be taken for granted.
Make sure that your small business has the correct policies in place - www.wordsworthreading.co.uk/writing-services/policies-procedures.php
Article source: https://articlebiz.comRate article
Article comments
There are no posted comments.
Related articles
- Buying a Ready-Made Company in Estonia: Your Effortless Business Setup
- Outsourced credit control – what’s in it for your business?
- Managing under stress
- Benefits of Active Listening
- How to Resolve Differences in the Workplace Without Argument
- 5 Proven Ways to Motivate and Retain your Technology Employees
- 10 Reasons to Start Benchmarking Your Business Today
- Fostering Collaboration in a Technologically Evolving Workplace
- 20 Best Employee Time Tracking Software to Streamline Your Workflow
- Healthcare Project Management: Ultimate Guide
- Leadership Advisory: Embracing Output and Results-Driven Management for High-Performing Teams by Dr. TA Malapane
- How to Shield Your Contracting Business from Common Risks
- "The Future of Money: How Digital Currencies are Transforming Global Finance"
- Advanced Analytics in Supply Chain Management: Driving Efficiency through Data
- Zodot — An end to end free Saas Platform to Automate Your Daily Business Activities
- Guide to Workforce Planning: Process and Strategies
- Effective Business Mentorship Strategies for Startups
- Next-Generation Seismic Techniques for Efficient Permian Basin Exploration
- The Major Challenges In Government Payment Processes – Survey Reveals Critical Inefficiencies
- The Psychology of Online Bargain Hunting: What Small Business Owners Need to Know
- Cultivating a High-Performance Culture in Bangladesh: The Strategic Imperative of Employee Engagement
- Improving Coding Efficiency: Streamlined Workflows with Medical Coding Audit Services
- Ensuring Coding Accuracy: How Medical Coding Audit Services Identify and Correct Errors
- Streamlining Insurance Verification: How Healthcare Automation Services Simplify Eligibility Checks
- Managing Administrative Overload: Streamlining Processes with Healthcare Automation Services
- Navigating State Licensing Variations: Expert Guidance from Medical Licensing Services
- Ensuring Accurate Documentation: The Role of Medical Licensing Services in Error Prevention
- Navigating State Licensing Variations: Expert Guidance from Medical Credentialing Services
- Handling Multiple Credentialing Applications: Streamlined Management by Credentialing Services
- Handling Complex Medical Histories: Efficient Record Management by Patient Access Services