Policies, while not particularly exciting to some, are an essential tool for running a successful business. Policies are intended to make it easy to understand responsibilities, articulate boundaries, set expectations, facilitate decision making and serve as a safeguard in the event those expectations are not met.
Introducing changes is always going to be tough and the same applies when attempting to roll out new policies to employees. Whether it is simply an annual review or to get a better grip on regulations, requirements, and compliance, it pays to prepare for some level of resistance or even a lack of enthusiasm. There are a number of ways employers can ensure new policies or changes to existing policies are rolled out smoothly.
Remember, everyone may not need to be across every policy the business has. Identify key stakeholders and make sure the relevant people are being provided policies that are applicable to both them and their role in the business.
Where do I start when introducing a new or updated policy?
It is important to look at the culture of a business and decide on the most suitable method to effectively communicate the policy roll-out and make sure employees have a good understanding of what is being asked of them. Managers could host a team meeting, have one-on-ones, or even conduct a workshop. If looking for a more creative approach, businesses could run a competition between departments or individuals using a training platform – a little incentive never hurt anyone, and could lead to surprising results.
Reading and accepting policies should be an annual undertaking for employees. Employers should aim to schedule this activity during a quieter operational period or maybe on return to work after the long Christmas break. It is important to set a reminder to revisit the policies annually.
Consider the culture of the business
For a policy to be implemented, there must be a real need within the business such as compliance with laws, industry specific regulations or to keep people safe. Do employees understand why the policy is in place? If not, they are less likely to use it to adhere to the desired way of working. Getting this message across to employees is crucial to the success of a policy.
Finding a way to make the need relatable and providing real purpose will help to gain commitment from employees and discourage bias. Talking to the benefits as well as individual and organisational success is a great way to encourage buy-in. managers can nominate an individual or team to champion the promotion of new policies or changes.
Policies level the playing field and set consistent standards and processes to follow, and provide employees with a resource to turn to when needed. Having buy-in from the top will make it easier to filter messaging down through the business.
How do I let employees know about a new policy or changes to an existing policy
Sending long emails will likely put the reader to sleep, tempt them to put it in the “too hard basket” or even hit delete without reading it. Get creative when spreading the word to employees such as posters around the workplace, attention-grabbing announcements, sharing success stories, and creating a quiz or other fun events. A combination of various delivery methods will be the most effective and ensure everyone is in the know.
Make sure policies are accessible to the entire team, ensuring they can access them whenever needed. Whether via an online platform such as the company intranet, or as part of an employee handbook. It is also important to include the relevant policies during inductions and orientation of new starters to set them on the right path from the offset.
Providing a point of contact for employees who have any questions or to raise and address issues is a must. Having an open forum and asking for feedback reinforces the idea that policies are not just a one-time use document but are intended to be utilised as a tool and keep everyone in the loop.
Follow up is key
Everyone in the business should read and accept the policies at least once, and best practice is to have a refresher annually or whenever changes are made. It is important to know who has read the policies, when they were last read, and that the reader understands what is being asked of them through the policy. Keeping a record of this can let managers know who is up to date, who needs a refresher and who has not yet read the policies.
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