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Policies and procedures writing services

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About the problem The types of organisations we help The Benefits The types of content we create or update Free tips on improving your policies and procedures documentation What we don’t do Case Studies and Examples Costs How It Works Estimating how much content you need written Contact us

Clear policies and procedures tailored to your organisation

Cherryleaf’s expert policies and procedures writers helps create customised documentation that provides staff with a reliable framework to follow.

This reduces ambiguity about responsibilities and expectations, leading to more confidence and control over day-to-day operations. With clearly written policies as a guide, employees gain the freedom to carry out tasks efficiently.

Managers benefit from enhanced consistency and accountability. Good policies and procedures documentation can give you confidence your staff are doing their jobs well.

Partnering with us means gaining the peace of mind that comes with having robust protocols in place to address priorities, enforce standards, and facilitate independent decision-making at all levels of your company.

You and your team know how to run your business. What we do is write policies and procedures documentation for you that communicates this clearly. Our proven methodology lends certainty in uncertain times.

About The Problem

Policies and procedures should be one the first places managers and staff go to when they have any doubts about what they should do.

The problem is, people often find it hard to write them well. It’s one of those tasks that often doesn’t seem like a priority, when you’ve got so many other things to do.

Poor or missing policies and procedures are some of the main reasons why staff find themselves stuck, wasting time or making mistakes.

Sometimes, they have to deal with contradictory information.

They can also find it hard to find the right advice quickly.

Your policies and procedures will also come under the spotlight if things go seriously wrong.

Three Types of Organisations We Help

Organisations opening new branches, reorganising, or merging.

You have teams that are doing the same work in different ways. You want to have a consistent, standard, best approach to doing things, and communicate these to staff.

Organisations that need to rely less on word-of-mouth communication

As your company has grown in size, you’ve realised that relying on important knowledge being held inside a few people’s heads is no longer sustainable.

You want to move away from this informal, word-of-mouth communication to more documented policies and procedures. This will ensure critical information is captured and accessible, rather than at risk of being lost when key employees leave the organisation.

Companies getting their policies and procedures ready for new investment, an IPO/public listing, or a company sale

To demonstrate that your organisation is run efficiently and effectively, you need to have well-documented policies and procedures in place. These will show potential investors or buyers that your company is structured, managed, and poised for growth.

Your auditors might also have told you that you need documented procedures so the business is more robust.

The Benefits

Accessibility.

Employees can easily reference procedures when they need guidance.

Equipped with clear guidelines, your team can operate with confidence and autonomy. Our policies foster a culture of responsible independence, where decisions are made swiftly and effectively within a secure framework.

We create easy to follow procedures using clear English, so employees can quickly understand expectations.

Consistency

Consistent information across different departments within an organisation means that people can find information more easily. It can also ensure alignment across the business.

Effectiveness

Users want policies and procedures that are effective in achieving their intended goals and objectives, such as improving quality, reducing risk, or enhancing efficiency.

They may also want to know:

• Why does this work matter?
• What are the key beliefs and values?

Flexibility

People want policies and procedures that allow for some degree of flexibility and adaptability to changing circumstances, while still maintaining compliance with relevant regulations and standards.

We help you create policies and procedures that are relevant to people’s job duties and responsibilities, without having to sift through irrelevant or unnecessary information.

Secure your foundations: Our expert team crafts policies that protect your business interests and assets. From data protection to compliance standards, we can help you ensure every aspect of your business is safeguarded against emerging threats.

The Types Of Content We Create or Update

Hr policies and procedures.

• Anti-bribery
• Anti-modern slavery
• Disciplinary and dismissal
• Recruitment and staff induction
• Staff handbook
• Whistleblower protection

Health and Safety policies and procedures

Supply chain and procurement.

• Roles, responsibilities & authority
• Preparation for procurement
• Selecting the right procurement procedure and contract
• Supplier selection
• Negotiation
• Award of contract
• Management of the procurement
• Close out and learning

Sales and marketing policies and procedures

• Brand marketing
• Customer acquisition
• Sales team training and on-boarding
• Customer credit finance approval

Finance policies and procedures

• Accounting standards
• Bank reconciliations
• Budgeting and forecasting
• Capitalisation
• Claims and reinsurance accounting
• Cost control
• Creditors and accruals
• Finance manuals
• Financial reporting and management accounts
• Fixed assets
• Foreign exchange transactions
• Income, debtors, and prepayments
• Inter-company charges
• Internal controls and risk management
• Investment accounting
• Invoice/expense accounting
• Long term projects (including DevEx and CapEx)
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Premium accounting and unearned income
• Revenue recognition
• Tax (Corporation, VAT)
• Travel and expenses
• Treasury and cash management
• Year-end accounts

Operating procedures

• Complaints handling

IT security and data privacy procedures

• Anti-virus malware prevention and detection policy
• Business continuity
• Controlled document procedure
• Cybersecurity events and incidents
• Disaster recovery plan
• email and Social Media
• Home and mobile working policy
• Information governance
• Monitoring and response policy
• Network security
• Policies that ensure you conform to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• Removable media policy
• Risk register
• Systems updates procedure
• User access permissions policy
• Using Artificial Intelligence

Writing chatbot-ready content

Our procedures writers can format content so it can be readily imported and used by large language models. This helps AI efficiently access materials and provide clear, precise responses to staff.

Free Tips On Improving Your Policies and Procedures Documentation

What we don't do.

We can’t tell you how to run your own business.

We are also not experts in law, so we cannot advise on compliance with national or state regulations.

We do not sell boilerplate templates for ISO 9000, staff handbooks etc. We do have a number of policies that we have written in the past, which we may be able to adapt and repurpose for your situation. However, you need to know what you want your policies and procedures to be.

Case Studies and Examples

Case studies.

Creating an easy to use Listener Guide for the Samaritans and the Prison Service

Developing procedures for a rapidly expanding company

Case Study: Samaritans procedures clarified and put online

Examples of policies and procedures

On our examples page, you’ll find examples of:

• HR policies (employing new staff policy)
• Controls-based financial procedures (VAT reporting and payment)
• Management processes and staff roles and responsibilities (in a responsive web layout)
• An online employee portal

Tailored Policies And Procedures, Priced To Fit Your Needs

When it comes to documenting an organisation’s processes, the time and cost can vary significantly.

Factors that influence the cost

The overall cost is based on a few key variables:

• The more documents you need us to create, the higher the total cost will be.
• More complex procedures take longer to document than simpler, shorter write-ups.
• A procedure can be more complex in situations where staff are using lots of different applications to complete a task, multiple people are involved in the activity, or you need to explain what to do in a number of different or exceptional situations.

Refining your own content

In some situations, we collaborate with your subject-matter experts (SMEs) to transform raw information — whether from interviews, notes, or other sources — into polished, professional documents.

We apply our expertise in on organising and structuring the content to ensure a logical flow, making sure the final document serves its intended purpose.

While your SME remains responsible for accuracy, they can stay focused on their core responsibilities, trusting us to deliver a high-quality result. Minimal but essential communication between our team and your SME ensures success and smooth collaboration.

Where it’s required, we carry out more in-depth revisions. That can include re-structuring and rewriting parts of the document to enhance clarity, accuracy, and readability.

Our collaborative approach

To provide you with an accurate quotation, we’ll work closely with your team to scope out the full project. Together, we’ll:

• Develop a comprehensive list of the policies and procedures that need to be documented
• Assess if any existing content can be repurposed
• Determine the appropriate level of detail required for each procedure

There’s no obligation to move forward after receiving your quotation. We’re happy to provide this upfront consultation at no cost, so you can make an informed decision about how to best document your processes.

Ready to get started? Contact us today to discuss your policy and procedure requirements.

How It Works

You’re unique, and your polices and procedures will be different from anyone else’s.

Our simple process makes it easy to get the policies and procedures you need:

• We discuss your requirements and scope the project
• Our writers interview your subject matter experts to understand your operations
• We write clear draft policies and procedures tailored to your needs
• You review the draft and provide feedback
• We incorporate edits and finalise the documents
• You receive professionally written procedures you can immediately implement

Quiz: What Type Of Policies and Procedures Writer Are You?

Take this two-minute quiz:

Planning And Estimating How Much Content You Need Written

We have created an experimental chatbot that can help you with planning and estimating your policies and procedures. This chatbot is configured to help you plan and scope policies and procedures that are complete and up to date. It can advise on topics such as what documents they will need, how long it will take, the skills you’ll need.

You can ask it questions such as:

• Help me plan my policies and procedures writing project
• Help me estimate the time required for our project
• Tell me more about your policies and procedures writing services
• Tell me about the training course on policies and procedures writing

See: Cherryleaf policies and procedures planning chatbot

It can’t advise on pricing, legal matters, or write the documents for you. If you’re looking to bring in outside help, contact our polices and procedures writing team at Cherryleaf.

We also have a procedures page calculator spreadsheet for estimating how much content you need written. Contact us and we can send you a copy of it.

Get in touch today to discuss how we can provide your company with clear and actionable policies and procedures.

Our clients are based mostly around  the UK, Europe and the USA (although if you are based elsewhere, we still may be able to help).

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Policy and Procedure Writing

Policies and procedures guide employees to stick with the company’s standards. Hence, it’s important that policy manuals are easy to understand. To guarantee this, let our articulate writers provide you with the policies and procedures you need.

Contents Worth Reading

Well-defined policies and procedures help the business stay on its right track. With our policy and procedure writing services, you can be at ease that your company’s standards and regulations are communicated effectively.

• Equipped with wide-ranging writing experience
• Knowledgeable of different writing guidelines and standards
• Trained to keep abreast of the latest industry trends
• Committed to meeting writing needs and expectations

How It Works​

No more boring contents because Allied Writers has a team of expert writers trained to create worth-reading contents. Let’s start working on your content.

Check our services and choose the writing solution you need. Then, fill in the form and proceed to modes of payment.

Discuss requirements, details, and expectations for quality content in line with your writing needs via email or phone.

Communicate with your writer to track the progress of your piece. If it doesn’t satisfy you, you can ask for revisions.

After you have approved the initial or revised draft, your writer will send you the final copy of your content via email.

Compelling Custom Contents in a Click

• Save time and increase your productivity with us
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• Meet writing needs with our team of expert writers
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How To Write An Effective Company Policy For Your Business

Josh Plotnek

Joshua is a marketing content professional with a background in education and retail. He studied Creative Writing and has five years of experience in content writing.

Updated on April 21, 2024

Guides Business Operations HR Management

It’s important for business owners and HR managers to regulate all aspects of their company’s operations. While policy templates are helpful, in theory, we don’t recommend relying on them to do the work for you. We’re going to show you how to prepare, write and implement your very own company policy, with examples included.

Why Is It Important To Write A Company Policy?

How to prepare a company policy, how to write a policy for your company, use the best tools to implement your company policy, frequently asked questions about company policy, the bottom line on writing a company policy.

Running a business can be like walking through a minefield. At any point, you could stumble across issues that prove to be explosive for your company. 

Incidents occur in all businesses, but a company policy can help you get back on your feet.

As such, we are aware that writing policies and procedures can be boring and tedious. But trust us, if you have an effective policy in place, you are going to keep your employees safe – professionally, personally, physically, and legally.

And if you’re a business owner or HR manager looking to create company policies that actually make a difference, then look no further. We have put together some key tips you can use to prepare, write and implement policies that suit your business model. 

But before you get started, it’s important to understand why you might need to create your own company policy.

There are multiple reasons as to why all companies should create and implement policies that their employees should follow.

Great First Impression For New Employees

According to studies, 22% of employee turnover happens during the first 45 days of employment, so first impressions are everything. One of the first things new employees should receive is all relevant company policies. Onboarding new employees with the key goals and objectives early on will set the tone and pace for their employment.

Everyone’s On The Same Page

A company policy is a unique opportunity to ensure that all employees are on the same page when it comes to the company’s goals, values and rules. 

Reduces Stress

When employees follow a policy, they are less likely to make needless mistakes, misunderstandings. This makes work less stressful for the employees and management.

All Decisions Are Fair

If all employees are required to read, accept and follow the same company policy, they are working in an environment that is fair and just. No one is punished arbitrarily.

Provides Legal Security

A company policy can make your employees feel in safe hands, especially if it clearly states their rights and duties. A policy that promotes accountability and employee relationship management improves transparency across the board. 

Improves Employee Loyalty

A company policy can ensure that workers stay devoted to the company’s cause, especially if employee benefits are included.

Across multiple industries, large numbers of new employees are notorious for failing to read company policies (such as employee handbooks ) during onboarding. This is evident from the infographic above.

Unfortunately, you can’t simply start writing away and expect to have a perfect policy as the end result. Business owners need to carefully prepare exactly what they will include and how they will express this to all necessary parties. Putting the following steps in place can make all the difference.

📚 This Might Interest You: Check out our article on how to create a policy and procedure manual .

All Parties Should Agree To Develop The Company Policy

Whether you started a construction business or a hotel, management and employees need to express unanimous support for the proposed company policy. Valid reasons should be put forth to argue for the policy in question. Once it has been agreed upon by all parties, the real planning can begin. 

Assemble A Company Policy-Building Team

A company policy should always be a collaborative effort. The more people who contribute ideas, the more unified the final message of the policy will be. But you can’t just recruit anyone for the job. It’s important to use good managers and staff who are experts on the topic in question.

Build A Standard Company Policy Structure

One of the most important pieces of preparation to have in place is to ensure that the company has a standardized company policy structure. This structure will vary depending on the company’s needs, But regardless of whether you’re a retail manager or a plumber, it should include the policy’s goals, guidelines and who it applies to.

Create A Priority List

You might need to create multiple company policies covering a wide variety of topics and needs. So in order to prevent your company policy-building team from becoming overwhelmed, try prioritizing policies in order of which one your company needs first. Any policy that provides short term benefits should come first on the priority list. Whether you’re training cleaning staff or managing manufacturer workers, you need to brainstorm which policies need immediate attention.

Do Your Research

You need to do your homework before you start writing a company policy. Having an in-depth knowledge on both your company and the topics you wish to cover in the policy is paramount. Research can also help to improve company policies that are already in place, filling in gaps with relevant information. 

Here are a couple of ways that you can perform research for a company policy:

• Consult experts about relevant topics.
• Perform company surveys and interview employees.
• Stay up to date with the latest laws that are relevant to policies you wish to create/update (such as meal and rest break laws by state ).

When talking about how to write a policy for your company, it’s important to ensure that you tick all the boxes and include all details that both the employer and employee should follow. 

Generally speaking, employers should consider including the following components to every company policy.

Purpose Statement

This explains to the reader why the company is implementing the policy to begin with and the goals it aims to achieve by using it.

Specifications Section

This part of the company policy includes specific rules, guidelines and regulatory changes that employees should follow. For example, “Employees are expected to dress in store uniforms from Monday until Friday. Staff are permitted to follow a business casual dress code on Saturdays.”

Implementation Section

This section clearly states which parties are expected to follow the policy and the means by which they can follow it. “ Restaurant managers are permitted to determine whether or not attire is appropriate.”

Effective Date

The date that the company policy takes effect. For example, “All parties are subject to follow this policy as of January 1st 2024.”

A list of common terms used throughout the company policy, including definitions. For example, “uniform: professional attire provided by the retail company .”

It’s worth noting though that a policy shouldn’t be mistaken as a contract or a list of rigid rules that should be followed exactly how they are written. A company policy should be written with flexible language, making it easy and welcoming for employees to follow.

How To Format & Style A Company Policy

It’s not just about what you write in your company policy. The style and format in which you write it also improves readability, and therefore improves employee engagement.

Here are some important formatting tips when writing a policy:

• Select a professional font such as Arial, Calibri, Georgia or Times New Roman, for example.
• Choose a font size that is easy to read (size 12) and consistent throughout the document (headings, titles, subheadings excluded).
• Avoid using lots of colors to give the document a professional look. Stick to black font on a white background.
• Space out paragraphs and sections appropriately.

It doesn’t matter if you started a real estate business or if you are a handyman. When it comes to the company policy’s writing style, there are a few important things to look out for:

• Write the policy clearly and to the point. 
• Write it in third person – for example, “he,” “she” and “it.”
• If you are writing about an organization (for example, the World Health Organization), make sure to write it in its entirety, and then you can include the actual acronym (WHO) at the end.
• Absolute words such as “will,” “must,” “only,” “always,” and “never” shouldn’t be used when describing how employees should act. Instead, employers should resort to using terms like “usually,” “generally,” and “might,” to allow managers to be more flexible when handling different situations.

Review Your Draft & Get Approval

A vital part of writing a company policy is the reviewing process. Give the entire policy-building team a chance to edit the first draft, provide feedback, spot mistakes and add anything that might be missing. 

When the team is happy with the final draft, forward it to an executive member of the company to approve it. 

Once you have formulated your company policy, you need to think about how you are going to implement it. 

It’s crucial to consider how you will share your company policy with the rest of your company. Printing it every time you hire someone is just tedious. Also, employees can easily lose a printed version, and this is definitely something you want all parties to have easy access to.

Connecteam is an award-winning management app designed specifically for the mobile workforce – such as remote teams and deskless workers .

More than 10,000 companies from over 90 industries use Connecteam’s all-in-one training management app to create documents & policies and easily distribute them to every employee, no matter where they are working.

Here are just some of benefits that Connecteam brings:

• If an employee needs to review a policy, they can simply refer to the app instead wasting their time with messy, cluttered paper documents.
• Employees can add a signature and pictures to the digital form to ensure everything is covered.
• Connecteam has time management (including QuickBooks Online and Gusto integration for smooth payroll), team communication , and knowledge center capabilities, ticking all of the boxes to meet your company’s needs.
• This all-in-one employee training software is free to use.

Connecteam provides business owners and HR with the necessary tools to digitize company policy and update it as much as you need, with no printing required.

Teach Company Policy To Your Employees

Connecteam lets you create your very own knowledge base for the entire team, which is where you can attach all of your company policies in real time. You can even search for specific policies by keyword. It’s accessible on employees’ own mobile phone so they have direct access to the policy at any time (from the second you update it).

Reduce clutter and provide employees with specific learning resources. Assign multiple knowledge bases to different departments, as well as multiple sections with folders, sub-folders, items and files. 

Communicate With Your Team About Your Company Policy

A step to implementing a company policy that is often overlooked is communicating it effectively to your employees. It’s not enough to simply force policies upon a company’s staff. You need to clearly convey the value of the policy and why it’s important for all parties to follow it in the first place.

While meetings, memos and e-mails are all valid ways to update employees, employee engagement software can make communication more effective and efficient. 

Connecteam also allows managers to send simple, engaging company updates that employees can enjoy and understand, using images, videos and other files. Also, they can see which employees read the update and easily follow up with reminders or through the 1:1 chat , if required.

Upload Your Company Policy And Update Your Employees On The Go

Update your company policy.

Even after you have finished writing, reviewing and implementing it, your policy is still not set in stone. It should be a living, breathing document that you update as you go along. 

This especially applies when governments and states pass new laws that might affect your company. For example, if the minimum wage in the state your company is located in changes, then you might want to include in your company policy on how the company would handle this moving forward. (And once you update the policy in Connecteam, all of your employees have the latest, up to date version.)

What Exactly Is A Company Policy?

In general, a company policy is a document that includes instructions on how to do certain things in your business properly.

Company policies help shape the decisions that business owners and employees make on a daily basis. It can influence multiple aspects of company life such as work ethic, company culture , office behavior, and health and safety.

Every company requires its own unique set of policies, depending on the goals it has set, both short and long term, as well as its overarching mission. 

What Examples Of Company Policies Should My Company Use?

The industry your business is in and your company’s needs are going to determine what kind of company policies you need to create. And there are so many different examples of company policies. While not all of them will apply to your specific company, many of the following company policies can be found in most companies, in some shape or form:

• Workplace safety policies (based on city/country/state/federal laws)
• Employee conduct (dress code, harassment policy, safety procedures, appropriate behavior)
• Job descriptions
• Personnel policy (work hours, employment terms, state wages , salary/bonuses, vacations/sick leave/maternity leave, insurance/benefits, retirement plan )
• Company governance (company culture and values)
• Company structure (chart illustrating every employee’s name and which department they work in)
• Equal opportunity/non-discrimination policy (race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, culture)
• Attendance policy (schedules, time off, workplace absenteeism )
• Substance abuse policy (alcohol, drugs, tobacco)
• Disciplinary policy (poor performance, misconduct, dishonesty)
• Technology policy (devices, mobile phones, e-mail, internet)
• Finance policy ( different types of compensation , benefits, retroactive pay , spending authorization)
• Privacy policy 
• Customer service policy

It’s worth noting that this list doesn’t include all of the policies that companies use. But a lot of company policies fall under the aforementioned company policy examples.

As a business owner (or HR manager ), we understand if you might be overwhelmed by all of the steps provided. 

While this might seem like a lot to follow, especially if you’re writing your very first company policy, we recommend taking your time and seeing what works for you. Ultimately, the more detailed the policy is, the safer your staff members will be. The best company policies take time, expertise and manpower to build. 

But once you do have your company policy in place, implementing it can be quick, easy and affordable. Using a digital solution like Connecteam allows managers and employees alike to have easy access to your policies. 

With just a couple of clicks, you can download, read and sign all relevant documents. Also, you can use this communication app to initiate dialogue about the policy, submit feedback to improve it, and send reminders to make sure everyone has read and understood it.

So put aside your pens and paper, and start digitizing – because preparing, writing and implementing company policy has never been easier.

The 1# App To Implement Your Company Policy

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Master Writing Policies, Procedures, Processes, and Work Instructions

By Kate Eby | June 1, 2018 (updated July 19, 2021)

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Creating policies and procedures, as well as process documents and work instructions, can take months of research and writing. But, consider this: Well-crafted policies and procedures can help your organization with compliance and provide a structure for meeting and overcoming challenges, both big and small.

This article provides you with guidance on how to prepare for, research, write, review, and publish policies, procedures, and work instructions to get the best result for all stakeholders. Experts discuss the unique roles of each document in an organization, and downloadable checklists supply you with detailed guidance for the document creation process.

What Is Meant by Policies and Procedures?

While the terms are frequently mentioned together, policies and procedures serve different roles. Policies are high-level guidelines that define the culture of an organization by shaping decisions and providing a framework for daily activities. Procedures, on the other hand, enumerate lower-level processes and provide steps your employees need to take to adhere to your policies or complete a process. Together, they can guide an organization to success through legal and regulatory compliance.

Charles Cox is a Principal at Firefly Consulting , an Austin-based boutique consulting firm that specializes in innovation and operational excellence. He is also a featured contributor to the recent book Innovating Lean Six Sigma (McGraw-Hill, 2016). He describes how policies are “at a high level in the organization and almost never linked to a given part of operations. They provide an umbrella under which the entire organization operates. They key into what the organization is all about. Policy links to strategy, to culture, to decision making, whereas procedures and processes or work instructions are the actual documents that govern the transformation of inputs into outputs.”

What Are Company Policies and Procedures?

Policies and procedures in a company serve to define how employees are expected to behave and to detail responsibilities of both management and employees. Company policies and procedures help to ensure that employees receive their legal and ethical entitlements. At the same time, they guarantee that an organization pays proper attention to business concerns.

Why Do We Need Policies and Procedures in the Workplace?

Policies clarify the expected behavior and output of employees — or volunteers and others, such as board members — in the context of a specific organization, which allows employers and other leaders to manage more effectively. Policies and procedures guide daily workplace activities by promoting compliance with laws and regulations, providing strategic perspective for decision making, and simplifying processes.

How Do You Formulate or Write a Policy?

Creating good policies takes time and effort, but you can increase your chances for success by remembering a few basics. Most of the work happens before you ever begin to write. Your pre-writing activities include deciding on a document focus and researching background. After writing, your documents should be reviewed, validated, and approved. Finally, you will disseminate your documents and train users in the new policies and procedures.

Before you start to write, keep the following things in mind. A policy or procedure should focus on one concept at a time. Because of the complexity and effort required to develop good policies, and because they influence the values of your office and potentially also have legal ramifications, ensure that your C-level team supports and endorses your efforts. Support the policy with employee education. Don’t expect users to simply read and retain information. As you train, give users a positive reason for learning and adapting to any new guidelines, such as achieving greater efficiency (which leads to a better organizational bottomline).

Policy Procedure Creation Workflow

To get an overview of the policy creation process, follow this workflow, and then review the checklists for each step to ensure that you’ve covered all aspects.

Download Policy Procedure Creation Workflow

Basic Policy Procedure Template

You can also use this pre-formatted template to a policy. Simply add your logo and the specific content of your policy, and customize the sections in the template to fit your needs.

‌ Download Basic Policy Procedure Template

Policy and Procedure Pre-Writing Checklist

Much of the effort in creating policies and procedures takes place before you begin to write. This pre-writing checklist can help you find the support you need for your formal documents.

‌ Download the Policy and Procedure Pre-Writing Checklist

Policy and Procedure Research Checklist

The key to strong policies and procedures is understanding how the people who use the documents actually perform the documented activities. Use this research checklist to gather the resources needed for a document people will want to use.

‌ Download the Policy and Procedure Research Checklist

Policy and Procedure Writing Checklist

Once you have completed your pre-writing activities, this checklist can help you compose your policies and procedures clearly and efficiently.

‌ Download the Policy and Procedure Writing Checklist

Policy and Procedure Review and Approval Checklist

In most organizations, policies and procedures must receive written approval. Download this checklist to streamline the document approval process.

‌ Download the Policy and Procedure Review and Approval Checklist

Policy and Procedure Implementation Checklist

No matter how well-written or beautifully designed the document, you can’t just toss your new policies and procedures to the teams and expect them to read and understand everything. This checklist shows you how to present new policies and procedures for a lasting effect.

‌ Download the Policy and Procedure Implementation Checklist

What Fields Can Benefit from Policies and Procedures?

Every industry, business, and organization of any size, whether for-profit or nonprofit, government or private, regulated or non-regulated, can benefit from policies and procedures. The following are some of the fields that particularly benefit from defined policies and procedures:

• HR: HR provides many of the policies that are necessary in an organization. Examples include a clear termination policy, anti-discrimination policy, and time-off policy.
• Office Management: Examples of office policies include after-hours calls, petty cash access, and supply cabinet access.
• Law Enforcement and Emergency Services: Examples include the body camera policy, drone policy, and emergency communication policy.
• Construction: Examples include the orientation and training policy, refusal of work (when employees believe a situation is unsafe) policy, and time-reporting policy.
• Education: Examples include the code of ethics policy, tenure policy, and credit-hour policy.
• Healthcare: Examples include the cell phone policy for provider offices, appointment policy, and notice of non-discrimination in health insurance policy.
• Nonprofits: These include insurance for volunteers, recruitment and selection, and expenses.

Why Does a Company Have Policies and Procedures?

Companies implement policies and procedures for a number of reasons. As Cox explains, “Any company needs to have policies which address points of conflict before they happen.” Examples include points of hand off between teams, such as when designs are transferred to manufacturing. Policies also promote conflict resolution. “Many companies have escalation procedures, but that’s after the fact,” says Cox. “A proactive stance is better.”

They communicate internally the values, objectives, requirements, and best practices throughout the company, from the C-level to independent contractors. Policies in particular also communicate the company values and objectives to potential employees, investors, customers, and the media. In general, when executed correctly, policies and procedures serve to bring order where chaos could reign. Here is why policies and procedures are crucial to your organization:

• Policies and procedures help employees maintain compliance and mitigate or even eliminate risks.
• In a regulated industry, they demonstrate legal and regulatory compliance.
• Policies provide a means to change your company culture.
• Creating policies and procedures requires spending in dollars and work hours, but what is the cost of a process failure, an injury, or damaged property ?

Characteristics of Good Policies and Procedures

How do you get the best policy and procedure for your situation? Documents must meet your needs. A template can guide you to consider needed content and usable formatting, but the words and format must be customized to your situation. Following these guidelines, good documents provide the following:

• Ensure Compliance: If your organization is regulated, policies and procedures provide one means of proof that you’ve considered and implemented controls on activities.
• Increase Accountability, Training, and Responsibility: Applied correctly, policies and procedures can provide a structure for continual improvement.
• Streamline Internal Processes: Ideally, the best processes should be captured, and these provide the most efficient path for day-to-day activities.
• Help Organizations Avoid Errors and Maneuver Through Incidents and Problems: Good policies and procedures proactively anticipate problems and provide a structure for avoiding troubles or dealing with an immediate problem.

Suggested Basic Policies and Procedures

Specific policies and procedures may vary depending on the type of organization. At a minimum, you need policies for events, such as holidays or family emergencies, policies for behavior, such as attendance, absences, and harassment, and a policy governing technology, such as a BYOD policy. The table below shows some of the types of policies needed for three sample industries.

Pitfalls of Policies and Procedures

Certainly, establishing a consistent, efficient, and effective way of doing things is desirable, and policies and procedures can help. But, documents have their limits.

Andy Nichols is a Quality Program Manager at the  Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center . He sees a historical precedent for over-documentation rooted in the pre- ISO 9000  days of military procurement, when government agencies required any type of professionally formatted document that recorded repeatable processes. The original ISO, however, only called for a quality document that provided an umbrella for the entire organization. “Over-documentation was a perception of the standard. It was never prescribed at all,” says Nichols.

This misperception led to the brick-like documents that people still dread — multiple policies with a procedure to match each, often labeled with a number instead of a real-language title and with usable content buried at the lowest layer. “A lot of people never get past the idea that documentation doesn’t make things happen,” notes Nichols. In his opinion, “Trainers and consultants still espouse a structure that wasn’t necessary and caused a bureaucracy that got in the way of people adopting a quality system.”

Nevertheless, Nichols sees a role for documentation beyond process control. Procedures and work instructions in particular can capture knowledge and real-world experience to be passed on to the next generation. In manufacturing, that institutional memory element becomes especially crucial as seasoned workers retire. “Whatever the document type,” he says, “documents are an excellent way of capturing tribal knowledge.”

Companies with Progressive Policies

Progressive company policies include such things as allowing access to personal social media during office hours, permitting work from home or remote work access , or offering paid time off (i.e., a personal pool of days off to be used for sick days or other issues as needed). Another example, demonstrated by the following companies, is generous paid maternity leave, including, of course, adoptive or foster children.

• Ironworkers: Up to six months of paid maternity leave for female employees before the birth of a baby
• Etsy: Up to six months paid parental leave for the birth of a baby
• IKEA: Up to four months paid parental leave, including for adoptive and foster parents
• Starbucks: Paid maternity and paternity leave for everyone
• Adobe: Up to four months of paid time off for the primary caregiver after a birth or time off for either parent of a newly adopted, fostered, or surrogate child  
• Google: Up to 18 weeks of leave for the birth mother, extending to 22 weeks after a complicated birth. Up to 12 weeks of paid leave for primary caregivers of either gender for adoptions, fosters, and surrogate children. Seven weeks for non-primary caregivers.
• Microsoft: Three months paid parental leave, in addition to two more months for birth mothers
• Twitter: Up to five months of paid leave for birth mothers and 10 weeks for fathers
• Spotify: Up to six months of paid parental leave for all full-time employees
• Netflix: Unlimited paid leave for the first year after a birth or adoption
• Facebook: Up to 17 weeks of paid parental leave
• Reddit: Up to 17 weeks of paid parental leave

What Are the Policies and Procedures in a Childcare Setting?

Facilities supporting underage persons require their own set of documents. At a minimum, the following policies and procedures apply:

• Establishment code of conduct
• Child safety
• Operating schedule
• Parent handbook
• Employee handbook
• Disaster and emergency procedure
• Proof of national accreditation

What Are the Policies and Procedures in Health and Social Care?

Health and social care policies include guidelines to protect the health and safety of healthcare workers. They also provide standards for vulnerable citizens, such as guidelines for their healthcare, food safety in facilities, living conditions in facilities or domicile care, general safety and security, and well-being and protection during civil emergencies, such as pandemic, earthquake, or severe weather events.

Common Elements of Policies and Procedures

Although it is important to customize any documents for your situation, policy and procedure documents tend to include core elements that help identify the document and provide the information necessary:

• Clear Title: Use as few words as possible and ensure that users at any reading level can understand.
• Brief Description of the Policy: A description or introduction orients users to the scope and purpose of the policy.
• A Filing Number: A filing or tracking number may be unique to your organization. No matter what your numbering system, ensure that your title describes the content of the document.
• Key Dates: Dates include the approval date of the original document, the annual review date, and the latest version date. Dates are important for tracking versions around legislative and other updates.
• Policy Purpose: The purpose describes why the policy exists. This includes such concerns as legal and regulatory needs and problems or conflicts a policy aims to avoid.
• Policy Statement: The core of the document and usually the lengthiest part. The policy statements specify the main audience for the policy, conditions and restrictions for applying the policy, expectations, and exclusions.
• Scope: This concerns which roles or departments the policy covers.
• Responsibilities or Responsible Party: Indicate what role, department, or group must maintain the policy. Alternatively, for some policies governed by regulations, this section lists roles responsible for executing the policy.
• Definitions: Describe key terms, jargon, or ambiguous terms. Always explain key terms in a separate definitions section or at first mention in the text of your policy or procedure to ensure that everyone has the same understanding of terms. Definitions are particularly important for terms that may have multiple meanings.
• History: Knowing the history is useful for understanding changes.
• Related Documents: Attach other policies, procedures, regulatory documents, forms, and guidelines for reference.
• Search Functionality: For web-based documents, this is a policy search feature.
• Keywords: For online documents, choose keywords that relate to how a user might search for your policy.

Tools and Considerations for Creating a Policy and Procedure

If your organization must create many policies and procedures, consider purchasing a purpose-built policy management platform. Such software provides templates and a central hub for drafting, reviewing, and publishing documentation and built-in version control. Some programs also offer self-training capability, which includes recordkeeping for grades in quizzes. This is important for compliance audits.

Manual template packages are also available for sale, sometimes with software. Policy management plugins provide policy document management for common collaboration platforms. If documents are created in a word processing program, migrating them to a central location is of greater significance. Many organizations provide a web portal for policies and procedures, where users can easily search on keywords for the desired content.

No matter how the documents are created, online publishing options help to ensure that users can easily access the latest version. Binders of documents that no one can find have never been helpful.

How Do You Write a Procedure?

Many of the steps for preparing policies are echoed in the preparation of procedures. For procedures, the need to understand the process is of particular importance. When writing a procedure, keep the following things in mind:

• Decide what task needs to be detailed.
• Get background and context for each procedure.
• Observe employees in day-to-day tasks to understand current procedures.
• Interview employees who perform the tasks. You can increase their interest in and engagement with documentation by including the relevant employees during the writing process.
• Look through the audit history to understand if procedures require an update in response to non-compliance or a safety event. Recording incidents, investigating how they occurred, fixing the problem, and then regularly training and making improvements is the basis of corrective and preventive action (CAPA) .
• Validate procedures in a walkthrough to ensure that users can follow them adequately.
• Ensure that wording and intent in procedures aligns with related policies, procedures, and other documents, such as forms or diagrams.

How Do You Write a Work Instruction?

Even more so than with procedures, if work instructions form part of your documentation, they must be precise and written in the users’ language. Work instructions must be specific about how a task is completed. Visual cues help learners with marginal or no reading skills, and graphics aid all users to more easily grasp and retain concepts. Keep the following things in mind when writing work instructions:

Work instructions may consist of only bullet points. Text must be scannable with clear headings.

Work instructions may include only pictures and numbers.

Some software packages for manufacturing add animation and 3D capability to help process engineers and shop floor workers better visualize instructions.

Document management systems enable reuse of validated procedures and instructions that are common to many activities, which eliminates the need to rewrite steps and the possibility of introducing ambiguities.

Language, Tone, and Style in Policies and Procedures

It’s important to write clearly, concisely, and simply. To help you achieve this, write with the reader in mind and follow these tips:

• Write to the reading level of the document users. If necessary, use only numbers, graphics, and photographs.
• Use short sentences with familiar English words and one thought or concept per sentence.
• Use must or will if something is mandatory. Avoid ambiguous words such as may or shall.
• Use plain words that are commonly understood rather than jargon. If you must use specialized terms, explain them in the text and in your glossary section.
• Use terms consistently throughout your documents.
• Write the full name for acronyms when you first use them.
• Remove extra words. For example, use to instead of in order to.
• Use positive and inclusive language. Use gender-neutral terms, such as their, not he or she, and worker, not workman.
• Use active voice rather than passive voice. For example, You must wash the dishes (active) rather than The dishes must be washed (passive).
• Use present tense. For example, say When you finish your shift, you lock the cabinets.
• Use headings that clearly identify the content of each section.
• Use evergreen information. For example, use [email protected] rather than contact information for a specific individual whose contact information may change.

Download this document with tips on tone to maximize the effectiveness and readability of your policies and procedures.

‌ Download Policy and Procedure Tone Tips

Formatting for Finding Information Fast

In addition to writing clearly, you can enhance the usability of your policies and procedures with a clear layout and optimal use of color and graphics, such as charts, diagrams, and images. Many fields and regulatory areas have predefined templates that can expedite your writing process by showing the types of content you must add. Templates usually also provide an attractive, readable format, so you don’t have to worry about layout and design. You can customize the content to suit your organization.

Here are some other formatting tips:

• Include a table of contents in Word or PDF format or with hyperlinks if online.
• Name the document clearly, so users can easily identify its purpose.
• Organize the material logically and label sections clearly, so readers can easily find the content they need.
• Make sure the links to the document from other documents and from other websites are working and up to date.
• Break the text into chunks to aid panning and scanning — include bulleted and numbered lists, graphics, charts, diagrams, well-written headings, and numbered paragraphs.
• Order topics and sections logically and use clear headings.
• Consider numbered paragraphs, which make content easier to locate in lengthy documents. However, limit organization to three levels. The first level is numbered 1, 2, 3; the second level is 1.1, 1.2, 1.3; the third level is 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3.
• Numbered drawings and photos may convey more information than words do and may be best for certain situations.
• Use white space to avoid crowded text.
• Templates tend to have predefined sections and often subdivide sections, which can aid users in quickly finding the information they need.
• Consider using icons and colors to designate specific elements, for example, blue for links and red for caution.

If you have the a designer who can help you create icons or choose existing ones, these symbols can help direct users to appropriate sections of your documents.

Packaging Policies and Procedures

Although policies and procedures serve different purposes, they can be combined in one document, particularly when both the policies and accompanying procedures are short. Some believe, however, that their different roles are a good reason to separate then into two documents. Ideally, you should update procedures (and especially work instructions) frequently to reflect innovations in process or address problems and incidents. You can revise policies less frequently.

What Is the Difference between a Policy and a Procedure and a Process and a Work Instruction?

To have an efficient and compliant organization, you need all three p documents — policies, procedures, and processes — plus something else: work instructions. The terms policy and procedure are sometimes confused and used interchangeably, whereas they serve different purposes.

• Policy: Policies are the guidelines that oversee organization activities, such as green manufacturing or a smoke-free environment. Policies describe legal, regulatory, or internal standards for required behavior and activities. Policies and procedures, depending on the size of the organization, may fill a volume or more or may consist of simply a handful of short paragraphs. Cox sees policies as “more shades of grey,” as guidelines that senior and middle management use. “Policies require a lot of interaction between the senior leadership team and upper middle management,” he explains. “Policies need to be reviewed every so often to make sure they are serving the needs of the organization and require flexibility around them for revisions,” he adds. As they define company culture, policies also communicate strategy, such as green manufacturing. Policies help reduce risk and ideally create an environment that encourages improvement. Although policies may reference laws and regulations, they do not reiterate laws and standards. Instead, they define a particular application of those legal or regulatory guidelines. 
• Procedures: Procedures guide middle management and create overarching structure for process instructions and work instructions, which provide production tasks and steps for supervisors, individual contributors, and workers. Procedures are used by supervisors, industrial engineers, or the individual worker. Procedures describe the process at a higher level and may be in a binder. They depict a repetitive task or process. In manufacturing, procedures describe a series of steps or tasks and contain work instructions. In general, procedures describe what to do, when to do something, and who does it. “Procedures are very specific and need to be very black and white without a lot of need for interpretation,” says Cox. But, while the content may provide precise descriptions, the descriptions may change more frequently. “At the work instruction level, they may change every day or every few days as they [employees] attempt to get the best result for the customer.”
• Processes: Processes describe what the organization does and who does it. They explain how procedures fit together to create deliverables or accomplish goals and objectives.
• Work Instructions: Work instructions are the lowest level of document used by supervisors, individual contributors, or workers, with descriptions of how to complete a specific step. Work instructions are granular, short documents, often of only one page, a single paragraph, or a set of bullet points, and frequently include many visual cues, such as colors, graphics, or photographs. Work instructions are intended to be precise documents that allow interchangeable staff in high turnover situations to train and achieve optimum performance in one hour or less. As Cox describes them, “Work instructions provide what is necessary to train a person as fast as possible or even self-training.” These documents should be at the worksite, so the trainer, and eventually the worker, can refer to them. An essential part of work instructions are checklists, which he says can be as simple as a photo with items of interest circled.

‌ Download Policy and Procedure Process Work Instruction Checklist

Successfully Implement Your Policies and Procedures with Automated Business Processes in Smartsheet

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The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed. 

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

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Policy Manuals Custom-made To Elevate Your Business

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Expert and Industry Knowledge

The Write Direction is a network of industry experts, academic professionals, and writers who understand the best practices and specific regulations across many industries. Our expert writers can ensure the policies they create are compliant which reduces the risk of legal and regulatory issues.

Tailor-made To Your Needs

Each company has its own unique culture, values, and way of operating, therefore each policy manual is supposed to be tailor-made with customized solutions. Not only that, policy manuals made with The Write Direction are created to adapt to growth and challenging circumstances.

Resource and Time Efficient

Outsourcing something as important as a company policy manual can be beneficial to the rest of your team so they can focus solely on your business’s core functions. Outsourcing this task to The Write Direction also means that you can quickly receive your custom policy manual saving you time and effort.

Clear and Accessible

The Write Direction’s writers understand better than anyone the importance of using clear and concise language to be able to effectively communicate. The accessibility of a policy manual can also be formatted for online access so all your employees can quickly find the needed information.

Consistent and Accountable

Policy manuals can provide consistency across your organization through standardization. The policies laid out in your tailor-made manuals are clearly defined to keep everyone within the company accountable. Policy manuals allow for employee adherence to your company’s standards.

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Why do you need a policy manual.

• Are your policy and procedures documents easy to understand?
• Are objectives and issues clearly identified?
• Are the rights and responsibilities of employees and management difficult to discern, or ambiguously stated?
• Is the tone of the content consistent throughout?
• Does the focus, or general message, drift?
• Is the documentation up-to-date?
• Do the documents encourage solidarity and a recognizable and translatable organizational culture?

Get Professional Help for the Sake of Your Business

Why work with the write direction, unique content, seo optimized, efficient work, language skills, professionalism, fair pricing, frequently asked questions, how long does creating a custom policy manual take, is it possible to update our existing policy manual or can you only create new ones, how does the write direction ensure the policy manual is compliant with laws and regulations, can the write direction determine the essential policies for our organizations, will our company’s policies remain confidential and secure, we know what it takes to create successful policy manuals..

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The 5 company policies you need to have in writing

Company policies are written guidelines that outline the practices and procedures of a business. They set expectations for employee behavior, actions, and processes in various scenarios. These policies are crucial as they ensure consistency, promote fairness, enhance efficiency, and help in compliance with legal regulations.

Nikoletta holds an MSc in HR management and has written extensively about all things HR and recruiting.

Policies are to a company what rules are to the players of a game. They are the framework and constraints within which everyone can strive for individual and collective success. Besides, for anyone who has watched a few kids playing together it’s pretty obvious why rules are important. And why it’s a good idea to write them down.

Far too many companies, especially small businesses, neglect to get the basics down in writing early enough. There’s a tendency to believe that “our company doesn’t need them” and that spoken instructions will suffice.

As soon as a company starts growing the limits of this approach become obvious. Putting company policies down in writing makes them official. Employees know what the company takes seriously and how they can keep up-to-date with their rights and responsibilities. People work better when they know where they stand.

No-one wants to focus on the negative but disputes can and will arise. Having the ground rules established in the clearest and simplest terms helps to limit the damage when they do. And in the instance that disputes lead to court, written policies can be essential in ensuring a swift and fair outcome.

It’s not all (or even primarily) about firefighting though. Having the beginnings of a company handbook can help you explain to current and future hires what’s special about your company — as the games company Valve have done so well . Still not sure where to get started? Here’s five company policies that you should put in writing today.

Workplace Health and Safety

Provisions for occupational safety are a necessity for everyone who owns or runs a business. It’s imperative that your employees work within a healthy and safe workplace. Accidents and unsafe conditions can land you in court. If you also count the damage to reputation and loss of faith from employees, complacency when it comes to safety may be the biggest mistake you’ll ever make. A written policy shows that you take the matter seriously. This is about more than a few fire extinguishers. A workplace safety policy will help you to think systematically.

Equal Opportunity Policy

Being an equal opportunity employer is mandated by law in most countries. This equal opportunity policy prohibits any company from discriminating against employees or job applicants on the basis of a “protected characteristic” (gender, age, race etc.). It is fundamental for non-discrimination, anti-harassment, workplace violence and diversity policies. It can also help your business for two reasons: first, it expands the pool of people from which to choose the best applicant for any job and secondly, it creates a fair environment for employees to co-exist, work and thrive in. Putting it in writing will send the message to everyone that equal opportunity is a reality at your company.

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Employee Code of Conduct Policy

All employers have expectations from their employees and a straightforward code of conduct can make this clear. Communicating these expectations clearly is a prerequisite for compliance. Even if an employee has the best of intentions and even if some things are simple enough to be expected (like completing job duties), misunderstandings may still occur. One way to keep them to a minimum is to have a written code of conduct that will include important elements like attendance or even use of social media. Rules must be clear and accessible. Employees can consult them whenever they are unsure of what constitutes acceptable behavior. It also means that when someone’s employment has to be terminated there’s a proper record in place.

Leave of Absence Policy

For various reasons ranging from health issues to vacation plans, employees may occasionally require to be absent from work. Whether it is mandated by law or not, it is always advantageous to let your employees know beforehand what benefits you offer. Different kinds of leave ( sick leave , Paid Time Off , maternity leave ,  parental leave etc.) are separate entities and may require different treatment. Having all this in writing , alongside rules that are necessary to regulate leave taking, is the only way to adequately inform employees.

Employee Disciplinary Action Policy

Occasionally problems will arise at work and dealing with them is much easier with a clear disciplinary policy  in place. Employees must know how and under what circumstances they will be disciplined. A standardized step-by-step process will help you ensure fair and appropriate treatment, even if you don’t formally disclose the entire procedure. It will also show that you are an employer who does not tolerate serious violations but also values remedial actions in the case of minor offences. Take care though to consult a lawyer to ensure that the procedures you have in place are lawful.

Workable also offers a broad range of additional company policy templates that you can customize for your own company.

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Policy Manual Writing Services

What is Policy Manual Writing?

Policy manual writing services involve the professional creation, development, and maintenance of comprehensive policy manuals for businesses or organizations. These services are geared toward providing a structured and organized framework for documenting a company’s policies and procedures. A policy manual serves as a critical tool for communicating internal guidelines, protocols, and expectations to employees, ensuring a standardized approach to various aspects of operations.

Expert policy manual writers specialize in translating complex organizational policies into clear, accessible language. They meticulously outline company policies, procedures, and compliance requirements, ensuring that employees can easily understand and adhere to the established guidelines. This clarity not only promotes consistency but also minimizes the risk of misunderstandings or misinterpretations among the workforce.

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Benefits of Policy Manual Writing Services

Policy manual writing services offer benefits to organizations:

• Legal Compliance : Policy Writers are well-versed in employment laws and regulations. This ensures that policy manuals align with legal requirements helping organizations stay compliant.
• Clear Communication : Can present information clearly and concisely. This ensures employees easily understand policies and procedures, minimizing confusion.
• Customization : Policy manual writing services can be tailored to the needs and culture of the organization. This ensures that policies reflect the values of the company.
• Employee Understanding : A well-written policy manual helps employees understand their roles, responsibilities, and company expectations. This leads to better employee performance and satisfaction.
• Risk Management : Having clear expectations helps employees be aware of the rules and consequences of the workplace. This helps reduce issues in the workplace.
• Consistency : Policy manual writing can help maintain language consistency and manual formatting. Consistency contributes to a more polished and professional document.
• Adaptability : Policy manual writing services assist in creating manuals that are adaptable to change in the organization. This ensures manual remains relevant over time.
• Employee Morale : A well-written policy manual emphasizing positive workplace culture contributes to better employee morale. This ensures employees are satisfied in their roles.
• Time and Resource Savings : Outsourcing policy writing manuals can be beneficial to allow organizations to focus on core responsibilities. This benefits small organizations with a smaller staff size,
• Professionalism : A well-written policy manual reflects professionalism and attention to detail. This helps with the company’s reputation.

Overall, policy manual writing services help bring expertise, clarity, and efficiency to the process of creating and updating policy manuals. This contributes to a well-organized and compliant workplace.

How EDC Can Help with Policy Manual Writing Services

Whether you need a single technical writer for a brief project or a team of consultants to produce a complete line of policy manuals, the quality of our work is guaranteed for you. Our clients work closely with an Engagement Manager from one of our 30 local offices for the entire length of your project at no additional cost. Contact us at (800) 221-0093 or [email protected] to get started.

Policy Manual Writing Related Articles

If you would like to learn more about our policy manual writing services and what they can do for you, check out some of our related content below:

3 Best Practices for an Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual

HR Policies and Procedures Every Company Needs

How To Implement Remote Policies And Procedures

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Policies & Procedures

Policy writer, making sure your policies maintain compliance, about policy writer.

Policy Experts

Before you draft a business policy, it is important to know what type of document you are creating. A policy can cover a variety of topics, so it’s important to make sure it has a standardized format. You can also make use of policy management software to simplify the pre-writing process. Many of these programs are online and allow you to access files and collaborate with your team from anywhere in the world. Regardless of which method you choose, the process should be as straightforward as possible.

Creating policies and procedures can help you create a more cohesive culture in your organization. Whether you want to create a corporate culture that is more transparent and united, policies and procedures will make your company much more productive. Not only do policies and procedures help your employees and customers feel more secure and confident, they can also save your money and time.

Why Work With A Policy Writer

HIGH QUALITY • ADJUSTABLE • CLEAR POLICIES

Your goals should be specific and measurable, and each department should contribute to those goals. Consider the roles and responsibilities of each team member, and follow the SMART goals framework. Also, be sure to include a timeline. You can also engage your team in collaborative writing to ensure the process goes smoothly. Once you’ve defined your team’s role, it’s time to start drafting the policy and procedure documents.

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How to Write a Policy for Your Business and Employees

By Owen McGab Enaohwo | October 26, 2017

By Owen McGab Enaohwo | January 17, 2024

Last Updated on September 23, 2024 by Owen McGab Enaohwo

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Feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of policy writing? Need help communicating your ideas effectively and bringing clarity to the chaos? Fear not! Our comprehensive guide is here to ease your pain and equip you with the tools you need to master the art of policy writing. 

Policies help promote consistency and productivity while fostering an organized working environment. From startups to well-established industry giants, the unique art of policy writing is a highly underestimated skill.

Well-crafted policies are key to unlocking your workforce’s potential and fostering a positive organizational culture. This article highlights the key steps and best practices for creating comprehensive policies that your fantastic workforce can easily embrace. These policies will embody your organization’s vision and values and breathe some life into your pursuit of excellence. You can  sign up  to SweetProcess right now to create yours!

Table of Contents

Writing the Policy: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Use SweetProcess for Policy Writing

Getting started with policy writing: how to prepare, policy writing tips and best practices, implementing your new policy, policy writing samples to learn from, template for writing a policy, final thoughts, frequently asked questions, guidelines for writing the policy.

Here’s the step-by-step guide for writing the policy.

Step 1: Perform internal research

Thorough internal research is essential before creating policies. Understand the organization’s mission, values, and objectives. Identify existing policies to avoid duplication or contradictions.

Review relevant data, statistics, and past incidents to grasp the context and potential risks associated with the policy you plan to create. Engage with relevant stakeholders, such as department heads and employees, to gather insights and consider their needs.

Step 2: Identify the policies you want to create

Based on the research, identify the policies that need to be established or updated. Categorize them into clear and distinct areas, such as human resources, cybersecurity, data protection, or workplace safety. Prioritize policies based on urgency, importance, or legal requirements. Start with critical policies before moving on to those of lesser significance.

Step 3: Include the key elements in the policy

Each policy should have specific elements to ensure clarity and effectiveness. These typically include:

a. Policy Purpose and Scope

Clearly state the policy’s purpose and define its scope. Explain why the policy is essential and who it applies to within the organization. This section sets the context for the entire policy.

b. Responsibilities

Outline the roles and responsibilities of individuals or departments involved in implementing and enforcing the policy. This section helps avoid ambiguity and ensures accountability.

c. Policy Statement

Present the policy’s primary principles and rules concisely. Use clear language to avoid misinterpretation and make it easy for readers to understand.

d. Procedures and Guidelines

If necessary, include detailed procedures or guidelines that help employees adhere to the policy effectively. Use bullet points or numbered lists to improve readability.

e. Compliance and Consequences

Explain the consequences of policy violations and the organization’s steps to ensure compliance. This section emphasizes the policy’s importance and encourages adherence.

Step 4: Create content for each element of the policy

For each identified policy document, develop content that addresses the key elements. Be precise and concise, and avoid ambiguous language. Use clear terminology and avoid jargon. Ensure that the policy is aligned with the organization’s culture and tone. Seek feedback from subject matter experts and relevant stakeholders to ensure accuracy and completeness.

Step 5: Add more information to clarify the policy for stakeholders

While conciseness is crucial, certain policies may require additional information or context to ensure stakeholders fully comprehend their implications. Create supplementary materials like FAQs, examples, or implementation guidelines. These supporting documents can help employees understand how the policy applies to specific scenarios, promoting better compliance.

Step 6: Revise, review, and format the policy

Once the initial draft is ready, conduct a thorough review. Look for inconsistencies, ambiguities, or potential gaps in the policy. Seek feedback from different departments and levels of the organization to gain diverse perspectives. Revise the policy accordingly and ensure it aligns with the organization’s language and style.

Consider formatting the policy in a user-friendly manner. Use headings, bullet points, and numbering to enhance readability. Employ a logical flow that makes it easy for readers to navigate the policy.

Step 7: Approve and publish

Before finalizing the policy, obtain necessary approvals from relevant stakeholders or management. Ensure that all changes and feedback are incorporated into the final version. Once approved, communicate the policy effectively to all employees and relevant parties. To ensure maximum visibility, use multiple channels such as emails, internal communication apps, intranet, or company-wide meetings.

SweetProcess  is a powerful tool that can streamline and simplify the process of policy writing and management for businesses and organizations. This section will explore three aspects of using SweetProcess: manual policy writing, automatic policy generation with SweetAI, and the management of existing policies.

We will provide step-by-step instructions, screenshots, and video walkthroughs to help you understand how to use SweetProcess effectively.

Using SweetProcess to Write a Policy Manually

You may decide to write your policy manually using SweetProcess. Our tool offers a user-friendly interface that makes the process seamless.

Step 1: Log in to SweetProcess

Create a new SweetProcess account if you don’t have one before now, or log in to the account if you already have one.

Once logged in, you’ll be taken to the dashboard; click the “Policies” tab.

Step 2: Create a New Policy

Click the “+ Create Policy” button to create a new policy.

Give the policy a title.

Add the policy to one of your teams or more.

Click the “Continue” button.

Click on the space beneath to edit the policy.

Step 3: Define Policy Steps

Click on the “Add Step” button to add the first step to your policy.

Give the step a title and a brief description that explains what it entails.

You can also add images, videos, or documents to clarify the step further.

Step 4: Review and Publish

Review your policy once you’ve completed all the necessary steps.

When drafting the policy document, click “Approve” in the upper right corner of the page to approve it and make it live.

You can request permission by clicking the “Request Approval” button, as shown below, even if you cannot approve the policy.

Note: Any process or policy you create in SweetProcess may be embedded on any website you choose, and any changes you make will be instantly updated.

Using SweetAI to Generate Policies Automatically

SweetProcess offers an exciting feature called SweetAI, which utilizes artificial intelligence to automate policy writing based on predefined templates and guidelines. You may generate your policies in five easy steps.

Step 1: Click on the “Policies” tab on the dashboard

Step 2: Click on the “Create Policy” button

Step 3: Enter the title of the policy

Step 4: Select “Write with SweetAI”

Step 5: Manual Review and Editing

Even though SweetAI does an excellent job of drafting a policy automatically, manual review and editing are essential to ensure accuracy and relevance.

Make all necessary changes to the policy before publishing. Find below a video guide on using SweetAI:

https://www.sweetprocess.com/kb/8LBTequD/article/L7cxfDp4L/how-do-i-use-sweetai-artificial-intelligence-to-create-a-policy/

Note: One sweet feature of SweetAI is its ability to suggest  policies and procedures  for you based on your industry.

This makes your work easier and saves you the hassles of thinking through policies required for your industry. 

What Exactly Is a Policy?

Policies are like guidelines that define how every employee should act and make decisions. It involves staying consistent, following the organization’s rules or regulations, and staying true to its goals. These policies highlight several issues, including employee behavior, how crucial data should be handled securely, how finances should be managed, and more. You know, all that good stuff!

Setting up policies makes them serve as guiding lights for all employees, ensuring they know what is expected of them. This helps create a friendly work environment. Plus, they help manage risks and legal stuff, keeping everything in check.

These policies are penned down or typed, printed, and shared with every employee involved. This places all employees on the same page. However, the business world is always dynamic; therefore, these policies require regular reviews and updating to stay effective.

Bottom line : Policies are like the compass determining how things should be done in an organization. They are created to ensure everyone’s on track and completes their tasks correctly. It’s all about keeping things organized and productive for everyone.

Why Is Policy Writing Important for Your Company?

Policy writing is crucial for your company for several reasons. Firstly, company policies are the rules or guidelines that determine the behaviors of employees. According to the  U.S. Justice Department , a company needs rules and procedures to fulfill the requirements of an efficient compliance program. Clear policies promote a positive work environment by reducing misunderstandings and conflicts.

Secondly, policies help mitigate risks and ensure compliance with laws and regulations. By outlining procedures and protocols, employees can safeguard the company from legal liabilities and potential financial losses.

Effective policy writing also enhances organizational efficiency. Understanding an organization’s expectations from employees is like the secret sauce to success. This helps streamline processes and reduces the need for constant supervision.

Furthermore, policies contribute to building a reputable brand image. They demonstrate employees’ commitment to ethical practices, data privacy, and safety, fostering trust with customers and stakeholders.

Lastly, policies aid in adapting to changing circumstances. Reviewing and updating policies regularly enables employees to stay current with industry trends while ensuring the organization stays highly responsive to evolving challenges.

Policy writing is essential for creating a harmonious, compliant, and successful business environment.

Using SweetProcess to Manage Policies

After creating policies,  managing them efficiently  is vital to keep them up-to-date and ensure organizational compliance. Managing your policies is very easy with SweetProcess. The platform is flexible and allows for edits and updates.

Step 1: Select the policy you wish to edit

Step 2: Click the “Edit” tab to edit the policy.

Step 3: Click on the “Actions” tab on the top right corner of your screen if you intend to perform other actions

Step 3: Select from the drop-down the action you wish to perform

You may edit tags, add to folders, teams, or export. 

Success Stories

Some of SweetProcess’s customers have expressed satisfaction with  using SweetProcess to create, implement, and manage policies . Notable among them are as follows.

TechQuarters, a dynamic technology solutions provider, recognized the challenges posed by tribal knowledge within its organization.  Tribal knowledge  refers to information and expertise known to only a few individuals, making it difficult to share and retain vital information across the team. TechQuarters implemented SweetProcess, a powerful  process documentation  and management tool, to address this issue and enhance operational efficiency.

Using SweetProcess, TechQuarters successfully eliminated the reliance on tribal knowledge and  created a more organized, efficient, and collaborative work environment . They now enjoy seamless policy documentation and sharing. The company empowered its team members with the information they needed to excel in their roles, resulting in increased productivity, enhanced knowledge retention, and improved overall performance.

Clients have continuously achieved tremendous results with SweetProcess. Another such client is Michel Coutu, the president of Location Accès Crédit. Location Accès Crédit helps clients access vehicle loans in Canada. Michel needed help with his employees following stipulated work policies. His major pain point was the need for more documentation. His employees needed help accessing work-related policies. 

In his search for a solution, he found SweetProcess, where he could document his policies and ensure adherence. Since then, Location Accès Crédit has enjoyed  standardized business operations , seamless employee onboarding and training, and remote access to work documents. 

Next7 IT, a leading IT services company, recognized the need for greater consistency in its operations to deliver top-notch services and solutions to its clients. Next7 IT implemented SweetProcess to address this challenge and streamline its processes. By leveraging SweetProcess, the company achieved significant improvements in consistency throughout its operations.

In summary, Next7 IT achieved  greater operational consistency  by leveraging SweetProcess as a powerful process management tool. The platform helped the company standardize procedures, improve communication, enhance collaboration, and optimize performance, ultimately leading to more reliable and exceptional service delivery for its clients.

To experience seamless workflow and manage your policies effectively,  sign up  for a 14-day free trial to learn more about our services.

Pros and Cons of Writing a Policy

Writing a policy has some benefits as well as drawbacks you should know. This section discusses the pros and cons of policy writing, arranged in no particular order.

Pros of Policy Writing

Clarity and Consistency : Policies generally provide crystal-clear guidelines or rules that help ensure consistency when making crucial decisions or taking certain actions within an organization. When everyone knows and follows the policies, it reduces confusion and promotes a unified approach to various issues.

Legal Compliance : Well-written policies help organizations comply with legal and regulatory requirements. They can address specific legal obligations, industry standards, and ethical considerations, reducing the risk of legal disputes and penalties.

Risk Management : Policies help mitigate potential hazards, making them essential for managing risks within a business establishment. They typically cover several areas: security, safety, financial, and data protection. They also help prevent adverse events.

Accountability and Transparency : Policies set the expectations and standards for an organization’s responsibilities, roles, and behavior. They excellently promote accountability among employees while ensuring transparency in every decision-making process .

Efficient Decision-Making : Policies establish a pretty solid framework for decision-making. Managers, as well as employees, make quick and highly informed choices confidently using policies.

Employee Guidance : Policies provide workers with a reference point for their benefits, rights, and obligations within the company. They can address issues like leave policies, performance evaluations, and grievance procedures, helping to create a positive and supportive work environment.

Organizational Culture : Policies can reflect the organization’s values and promote a positive culture. They support workplace diversity and inclusion efforts, ethical conduct, and other initiatives that align with the organization’s mission and vision.

Resource Allocation : Policies can help allocate resources effectively by defining priorities and providing guidelines for resource distribution. This ensures that resources are utilized productively and strategically.

Conflict Resolution : When conflicts arise within an organization, policies are the reference point for resolving all disputes objectively and impartially. This prevents favoritism or bias during decision-making .

Adaptability and Growth : Policies are generally not set in concrete or stone. They evolve as the organization expands or grows over time. Regularly reviewing and updating policies allows organizations to adapt to new challenges and opportunities.

Stakeholder Confidence : Policies enhance the utmost confidence of company stakeholders, such as partners, investors, and customers, as they demonstrate that the organization functions with structured and responsible approaches.

Cons of Policy Writing

Policy writing has its share of challenges. Some of the cons of policy writing include the following:

Complexity and Length : Policies often require detailed explanations and can be lengthy, leading to potential confusion for employees or stakeholders needing help understanding the policy’s intricacies.

Bureaucracy : The policy development process can be bureaucratic and time-consuming. Multiple levels of approval, revisions, and consultations may slow down the implementation of necessary policies.

Lack of Clarity : Poorly written policies may result in confusion, misinterpretation, and ineffective implementation, undermining the policy’s goals.

Resistance to Change : Employees may resist new policies, especially if they perceive them as burdensome or constraining. Resistance can hinder effective implementation and adherence.

Responsibilities of Policy Owners

The policymaker has several key responsibilities to ensure the effective implementation and adherence to organizational policies. These responsibilities are crucial for maintaining a compliant working environment.

Here are the primary duties of policy owners:

Policy Development : Policy owners are accountable for creating and formulating new or updated policies. They must conduct thorough research, gather relevant information, and involve relevant stakeholders to ensure policies are comprehensive and aligned with the organization’s goals.

Policy Communication : Policy owners are responsible for effectively communicating policies to all relevant parties. They must ensure employees understand the policies, purpose, and implications. Clear communication helps minimize misunderstandings and ensures consistent adherence throughout the organization.

Implementation : Policy owners play a pivotal role in implementing policies effectively. They must collaborate with various departments to seamlessly integrate policies into their workflows and operations.

Compliance Monitoring : Regularly monitoring policy compliance is crucial to identify deviations or potential issues. Policy owners should establish mechanisms for tracking adherence and conduct periodic reviews to assess the effectiveness of policies.

Training and Education : Policy owners must  provide employees with adequate training  and educational resources to ensure successful implementation. This helps raise policy awareness and equips staff members with the knowledge and skills to follow them.

Documentation : Properly documenting policies, their development process, and any changes made are essential. Policy owners should maintain comprehensive records to track the policy lifecycle and facilitate auditing and reporting.

Revisions and Updates : Policies should be revised and updated over time. This is essential so they reflect the prevailing changes in organizational requirements. Policy owners should go through them regularly. If needed, give those policies a little shake-up to match the latest trends and changes.

Policy writing is crucial to any organization or business. To start writing policies, here are some significant do’s and don’ts, including things you should consider before writing your organization’s policy.

Do’s and Don’ts of Policy Writing

What to Consider Before Writing a Policy

Before writing a policy for your organization, you need to consider the following:

Policy Objective : Clearly outline the primary goal of the policy. What problem does it seek to address? What outcomes are expected?

Scope and Applicability : Define the scope of the policy—which departments, processes, or individuals does it cover? Determine whether it applies organization-wide or to specific divisions.

Communication and Training : Plan how the policy will be communicated to employees and stakeholders. Consider providing training to ensure understanding and compliance.

Timeline : Set clear timelines for policy implementation, review, and updates.

Resources and Implementation : Consider the resources required for effective policy implementation, including training, technology, and personnel.

Risks and Impact Assessment : Evaluate the potential risks associated with the policy and assess its impact on different stakeholders.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance : Ensure the policy aligns with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards.

Guidelines for Writing a Policy

The following are the guidelines you should follow when writing a policy for your organization:

● Title: Choose a clear, descriptive title reflecting the policy’s purpose.

● Policy Statement: Begin with a policy brief statement that clearly states the purpose and objectives of the policy.

● Definitions: Include a section that defines any specific terms or concepts used in the policy.

● Policy Content: Present the policy in a logical and organized manner. Use headings and subheadings to break down complex sections.

● Responsibilities: Clearly outline the responsibilities of individuals or departments involved in implementing and enforcing the policy.

● Procedures: If necessary, include detailed procedures or steps for compliance.

● Review and Approval: Specify the process for policy review, approval, and any amendments.

● Formatting and Accessibility: Ensure the policy is presented consistently and is easily accessible to all relevant parties.

A well-structured policy document is crucial for clear communication and effective implementation. It should begin with a concise title that reflects the policy’s purpose.

Format of a policy document

A standard policy typically consists of the following sections:

● Introduction: Provides an overview of the policy’s intent and importance.

● Scope: Defines the boundaries and applicability of the policy.

● Policy Statement: Clearly states the policy’s objectives and the expected behavior or actions.

● Procedures: Describes the step-by-step process for compliance or implementation.

● Responsibilities: Outlines the roles and duties of individuals or departments involved.

● Compliance and Enforcement: Specifies consequences for non-compliance and mechanisms for enforcement.

● Definitions: Clarifies any technical terms or jargon used in the policy.

● References: Includes citations to laws, regulations, or other relevant policies.

● Revision History: Include a record of changes made to the policy over time.

● Contact Information: Provide details for individuals or departments that can address questions or concerns related to the policy.

Design and Layout of a Policy Document

Having gotten the format correctly, the next thing is to design the policy document. A well-designed policy document should be:

● Clear and Readable: Use a legible font, appropriate font size, and ample white space to enhance readability.

● Organized: Utilize headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break down information into manageable sections.

● Consistent: Maintain a uniform format throughout the document for a professional look.

● Visually Appealing: Incorporate relevant images, graphs, or charts to illustrate key points and make the document engaging.

● Accessible: Ensure the document can be easily accessed in various formats, including digital and print.

● Branding: Adhere to the organization’s branding guidelines, including color schemes and logos.

● Table of Contents: Include a highly detailed table of contents for easy navigation.

Writing Style for a Policy

What writing style should you adopt? Writing style is crucial to ensure policy documents are understandable and user-friendly. There are different writing styles, but ensure that whichever you choose, take note of the following.

● Use simple and unambiguous language. Avoid passive voice, jargon, and technical terms when possible.

● Write formally, maintaining a consistent voice throughout the document.

● Be precise, leaving no room for interpretation.

● Use short sentences and paragraphs; keep them concise.

● Use active voice to make the document more direct and engaging.

● Address the audience directly, using words like “you” and “your” to convey responsibilities.

● Be inclusive and considerate of diverse audiences.

More Policy Tips and Best Practices

● Involve relevant stakeholders in policy development to gain valuable insights and ensure buy-in.

● Regularly review and update policies to align with changing laws, regulations, and organizational needs.

● Ensure consistency across all policies within the organization.

● Provide training and resources to help employees effectively understand and comply with policies.

● Use real-life examples or scenarios to illustrate policy application.

● Make the policy accessible by publishing it on internal platforms or intranet sites.

● Implement a feedback mechanism for employees to raise questions or seek clarifications regarding the policy.

● Consider seeking legal advice and review for critical policies, to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

Following these policy writing tips and best practices will result in well-structured, user-friendly, and effective policies that support organizational goals and ensure compliance.

Implementing a new policy within an organization involves three key steps: policy implementation, policy compliance management, and considerations related to policy legalities.

Let’s explore each of these aspects:

Policy Implementation Process

● Policy Development: This is the stage where the policy is formulated. It involves identifying the need for a new policy, conducting research, and involving relevant stakeholders in its creation.

● Policy Documentation: The policy must be documented clearly, outlining its purpose, scope, objectives, and the responsibilities of individuals and departments involved in its implementation.

● Communication: Once the policy is finalized, it is crucial to communicate it effectively throughout the organization. This includes sharing the policy document, providing training sessions or workshops, and ensuring all employees understand the policy’s importance and implications.

● Resource Allocation: Adequate resources must be allocated to implement the policy successfully. This may include budgetary considerations, personnel, and technological resources.

● Piloting and Testing: In some cases, piloting the policy in a smaller, controlled environment to identify any potential issues or areas of improvement before a full-scale implementation is beneficial.

● Rollout: The policy is officially launched across the organization, and all relevant parties are expected to adhere to it.

● Policy Review and Updates: Policies should be reviewed periodically, and updates may be required to keep them aligned with changing circumstances, regulations, or organizational needs.

Policy Compliance Management

● Training and Education: Employees should receive proper training and education on the policy’s requirements and implications to ensure they understand their responsibilities and the importance of compliance.

● Monitoring and Auditing: Regular monitoring and auditing—i.e., internal and external assessments—should be established to assess compliance levels.

● Enforcement and Consequences: A clear framework for enforcement and consequences for non-compliance should be established. This could range from corrective actions and retraining to disciplinary measures, depending on the severity of the breach.

● Continuous Improvement: Based on monitoring and feedback, adjustments to the policy or  compliance management processes  should be made to improve effectiveness. Remember that your organization may be liable for outdated or inconsistently enforced policies.

Policy Legalities

● Legal Review: Before implementing a policy, it is of utmost importance to scrutinize it thoughtfully by seasoned legal experts. This prudent step ensures its complete adherence to all applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards.

● Risk Evaluation: Embark on a comprehensive risk assessment journey to identify potential legal pitfalls entwined with the policy. Armed with these insights, policy owners can deftly navigate the landscape and apply appropriate measures to mitigate such risks effectively.

● Privacy and Data Protection: Should the noble policy encompass the handling of sensitive data, it becomes essential to uphold relevant data protection and privacy laws dutifully. Safeguarding the personal information entrusted to any organization is a sacred responsibility to embrace.

● Employee Rights: The policy should exquisitely respect the inherent rights of every valued employee. No provision should infringe upon employment laws or collective bargaining agreements, fostering an environment of harmony and mutual understanding.

● Public Policy Considerations: Policies should align with broader public policy objectives and not conflict with societal norms or values.

● It’s crucial to involve relevant stakeholders from the early stages of policy development to ensure buy-in and cooperation.

Below are some policy writing samples that can be examples for readers.

[Your Organization Name]

[Policy Name]

Version: [Version Number]

Effective Date: [Effective Date]

Last Updated: [Last Updated Date]

[Policy Introduction]

[Briefly explain the purpose and scope of the policy. Describe the key goals and objectives it aims to achieve.]

[Policy Section 1]

[Policy Description]

[Provide a detailed explanation of the policy, including the rules, guidelines, or  standard operating procedures  that employees, contractors, or other relevant parties must follow. Use clear and concise language to ensure easy understanding.]

[Policy Compliance]

[State the consequences of non-compliance with the policy. This may include disciplinary actions or penalties.]

[Policy Responsibilities]

[Clearly outline the roles and responsibilities of individuals or departments involved in implementing the policy. This section should identify who is accountable for ensuring compliance and enforcing the policy.]

[Policy Section 2]

[Repeat the structure for each subsequent policy section, as needed.]

[Policy Review and Updates]

[Explain the process for reviewing and updating the policy. Include information about how often the policy will be reviewed, who is responsible for updates, and how changes will be communicated to the relevant stakeholders.]

[Policy Approval]

[List the individuals or departments that have approved the policy. Include names, positions, and dates of approval.]

[Policy Acknowledgment]

[Mention how employees or relevant parties must acknowledge and understand the policy. This may involve signing a form or completing an acknowledgment process.]

[Contact Information]

[Provide contact details for individuals or departments that employees can contact if they have questions or need clarification about the policy.]

[Policy Document Control]

[Explain how the policy will be stored, accessed, and version-controlled to ensure the most current version is readily available to all relevant parties.]

[Policy Related Documents]

[List any related documents, procedures, or guidelines employees should refer to when implementing the policy.]

[Policy Revision History]

[Keep a log of changes made to the policy, including version numbers, dates of updates, and brief descriptions of changes. Make sure to follow your organization’s existing style guide and formatting standards.]

These policy writing samples and case studies demonstrate the versatility and efficiency of SweetProcess in managing policies effectively across various organizations and scenarios.

SweetProcess offers you a free policy templates handbook. This contains 53  policy and procedure templates . However, here is an excellent template for writing a policy:

[Your Organization/Company Name]

[Policy Number]

Effective Date: [Date]

Policy Statement

[Provide a clear and concise statement outlining the policy’s purpose and intent. This statement should define the scope of the policy and the desired outcomes.]

[Explain the rationale behind the policy and its significance within the organization. Describe why the policy is implemented and how it aligns with the organization’s goals and values.]

[Specify the extent and boundaries of the policy. Define who or what the policy applies to within the organization. Mention any exceptions or exclusions if applicable.]

Policy Details

[Present the specific policy details in a clear and organized manner. Use bullet points or numbered lists to break complex information into easily understandable sections.]

4.1. [Policy Subsection 1]

[Explain the first aspect or subsection of the policy. Include any rules, guidelines, or procedures related to this subsection. Provide clear instructions on how to comply with the policy manual.]

4.2. [Policy Subsection 2]

[Explain the second aspect or subsection of the policy. Repeat the same format as above, providing clear instructions and guidelines for compliance.]

4.3. [Policy Subsection 3, and so on…]

[Continue with additional subsections as necessary.]

Responsibilities

[Outline the responsibilities of different individuals or organizational roles regarding implementing, enforcing, and monitoring the policy.]

5.1. [Role 1]

[Specify the responsibilities of the first role and how they contribute to the policy’s effectiveness.]

5.2. [Role 2]

[Specify the responsibilities of the second role and how they contribute to the policy’s effectiveness.]

5.3. [Role 3, and so on…]

[Continue with additional roles and their corresponding responsibilities.]

[Explain the steps individuals or entities must take to comply with the policy. Include information about reporting mechanisms, training requirements, and any potential consequences for non-compliance.]

Review and Revision

[Describe the process and frequency of policy review to ensure it remains up-to-date and effective. Specify who is responsible for conducting the review and any mechanisms for seeking stakeholder feedback.]

[Indicate the names and titles of individuals or bodies responsible for approving the policy. Include the date of approval.]

Related Policies

[List any other relevant policies related to or impacted by this policy. Provide references and cross-links to these policies if available.]

[Provide contact information for individuals or departments that can answer questions or provide assistance regarding the policy.]

[Include any necessary attachments or appendices that support the policy, such as forms, guidelines, or legal references.]

Remember to tailor the policy template to your organization’s needs and requirements while maintaining clarity and coherence throughout the document.

Do you want to avoid grappling with disorganized policies that lead to confusion and inefficiency within your organization? It’s time to streamline your operations and drive success with SweetProcess. Take the first step toward a more organized and thriving business.  Sign up  for SweetProcess today and witness its positive impact on your organization’s growth and prosperity. Your path to streamlined success awaits.

What does a company policy look like?

A company policy’s specific content and structure may vary depending on the organization’s size, industry, and specific needs. However, here are some common elements in a typical company policy: policy title, statement, scope, definitions, objectives, responsibilities, procedures, compliance, and reporting mechanisms.

What is the difference between a policy and a procedure?

A policy guides an organization, setting goals and direction with clarity. A procedure outlines specifics and provides roadmaps for tasks. Combining policies and procedures ensures streamlined operations and consistency, effectively propelling the company toward its goals.

How long should a policy be?

The length of a good policy should be concise and clear, focusing on conveying essential information. Avoid unnecessary details and use straightforward language to ensure comprehension. Aiming for one to five pages is generally ideal, but it ultimately depends on the complexity and scope of the policy.

34 thoughts on “ How to Write a Policy for Your Business and Employees ”

I need help about an organisational policy that is effective please can you show me

Can you share more details about this on the comment or if you prefer to send an email to [email protected]

Great info. However, I find the very thin font extremely straining on my eyes with the white background.

Thanks for your feedback. We have made improvements.

i got very interesting evidence thanks

Good to know.

The information was insightful Thank you

Glad you found our article insightful.

I am appointed as a new HR and charge with policy development for a hospitality company, can you help with any template? [email protected]

Thanks for reaching out, we sent you an email and looking forward to your response.

Hi! This is a great and helpful guide given how detailed it is, most especially to those who has no background yet on how to create a policy. However, may I ask if I can have this article in a PDF format so I could print and take note of the highly important parts? Would greatly appreciate if it’s possible. Thank you.

Glad you like our article. Simply use the print function of your browser to print the entire article and yes you can choose the option to save to PDF.

I am a newly appointed HR in a restaurant in charge of developing policies. what kind of template can i use?

A starting point will be to Google “restaurant policies and procedures” you might get some templates which you can build upon.

Please l really need to know the procedures or step in writing up policies and the policies write-up samples.

Great question! When documenting a procedure for the first time, focus on keeping it simple and then collaborating with your employees afterward to improve upon it.

We will be glad to show you how our software SweetProcess makes documenting procedures, processes, and policies so easy. Email [email protected] for a demo.

well done, easy to understand and practical for anyone to start writing their own policies

Thanks Priscilla, glad you approve.

I am tasked to come up with the laboratory proficiency testing approach for my lab, any advice please

Hullo…this was really helpful. I need a template too. Thanks in advance

This is really helpful, thanks so much

Thanks a lot. You made my task easier with the guides that you have shared.

I need your company to help prepare a good policies and procedures , for nursing staffing agency .please help me out.

thanks for the helpful guide. can you help me with a structure of drafting a new policy for an NGO…. youth policy

Hi Michael, you can use our SweetAI to generate any policy you are working on. Once the content is generate you can edit and improve upon it.

This is a great guide for writing policies! I’m new to this and this guide has been very helpful.

Glad you like it and thanks for your compliment.

I have added some knowledge today well explained on how to write a policy

Glad you found value in our article.

I’ve recently been appointed to develop different policies for point of sales managment and for damaged goods. Can you help me put these together

Yes we can! Specifically you can use our artificial intelligence SweetAI to document your policies. Sign up for a free trial of SweetProcess to see for yourself.

Great article. Do policies need a document number as well as a version number? Thanks!

It depends on your specific needs.

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Policy writing: Everything you need to know

The hows and whys of policy writing, including industry-specific policies for healthcare, law enforcement, corporations, and government agencies.

July 15, 2021

Article highlights:

The complexity and challenges of writing policies

Three options for writing policies and procedures.

• How to develop policies and procedures

How to write industry-specific policies and procedures

• Five tools to help you write your policies

Policy writing is one of those skills that everyone can sort of do. Anyone who has read enough policies has a general feel for what they look like, and what goes into them. However, policy writing does take some actual knowledge and skill to be able to provide guidance, solve ambiguities, and keep your employees safe and out of legal trouble.

Your policy manual spells out the visions and expectations of your organizational leadership. It provides a standard of behavior and performance for your employees, as well as identify opportunities for improvement. They also share accreditation, licensing, and legal standards that all appropriate personnel are expected to follow. And it can protect you from lawsuits from disgruntled employees, clients, patients, or the general public.

That means policy writing needs to be written with an eye to "what could happen" and not just "what we prefer."

In this article, we'll discuss the complexity and challenges of policy writing, some of your options for writing policies, as well as how to write and develop them. We'll also talk about how to write industry-specific policies and procedures, including healthcare, corporations, law enforcement, and city government. And we'll share a few tools to help with your own policy writing efforts.

As we said earlier, policy writing is more than just cobbling together a few best practices or preferences on the part of a particular department head. For example, don't ask people who don't regularly travel or do field work to write work-related travel policies. Your policy writing team should include subject matter experts (SMEs) for each policy topic; in this case, people who travel for work or spend most of their time outside the office.

When you and your policy creation team write policies, they should consider the ramifications to everyone in the organization, and not just rely on their own personal preferences and practices. To that end, effective policies must:

• Be industry specific. There are some policies that should only apply to your particular industry, such as healthcare or manufacturing. You can't just borrow another company's policies and hope for the best.
• Be organization specific. Every organization is different in its own way. Your policies and procedures should reflect your organization's individuality.
• Protect you legally. This is one of the main purposes of a policy and procedure manual, so make sure you consult with attorneys during the writing process.
• Adhere to accreditation standards, if you’re accredited. Accreditation agencies often provide their own policies, which you can (and should) incorporate into your own manual.

There are a few options available for writing policies and procedures for your organization .

You can hire an outside consultant to write everything. They probably have some of the most experience and knowledge, especially if they specialize in only one kind of organization or industry. For example, a consultant that specializes in policy writing for law enforcement agencies is going to have in-depth knowledge about your state and maybe even your organization. They'll charge a high price because they have specialized knowledge, but they'll be able to complete everything in a matter of weeks, not months.

You can also engage a combination of organizational leadership and legal counsel . They're the ones with the most in-depth knowledge of the organization's functions and the legal implications of the different policies and procedures you'll be creating. Just be sure to speak to the actual people who work in the different areas. They're the SMEs and the people who actually perform the procedures you're going to write about. 

Finally, if your organization has any kind of accreditation or licensing body, there's a very good chance they will have their own policies and procedures , at least ones that pertain to the particular functions for accreditation compliance. For example, the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare has set standards that healthcare facilities must follow regarding patient care, education, and technology in order to earn that all-important AAAHC accreditation.

How to write policies

There are a few steps to writing your organization's policies . While what you write will vary from industry to industry, organization to organization, the steps are still the same in almost all cases.

• Prioritize a policy list. You likely won't be able to create every policy at once, so you need to prioritize which policies are the most important. Create an order and timeline when they each need to be completed.
• Conduct thorough research. Look at your existing policies to see how things are currently done. And look for any new compliance or regulatory issues that will need new policies or require revisions. Look for changes in the laws, governmental regulations, and accreditation standards. And interview employees who deal with the policies on a regular basis.
• Create an initial draft. Policy writing means going through several revisions, soliciting feedback and getting questions from stakeholders. Simplify the language and avoid any technical jargon. Don't use a lot of industry-specific terms or anything that could confuse new employees or different employee groups.
• Send the draft out for review. Ask for feedback from your subject matter experts, especially if they didn't create the initial draft. Be sure to also talk to legal counsel to ensure you're in legal compliance. And use policy management software that offers audit trail features and version control.
• Get final leadership approval. Go to the highest level of leadership that makes sense for each policy. For example, you don't need the CEO to sign off on new policies for cleaning up spills, but you do for workplace harassment or management of proprietary information.

How to develop procedures

Developing new procedures requires almost all the same steps as writing new policies. You need to prioritize which procedures should come first, conduct the research for any accreditation compliance issues, write the initial draft, send it out for review, and so on.

The big difference is it's important to add another step after the initial draft: Validate the procedures.

This is where you make sure the new procedures are easy to understand by seeing them in action. Ask the employees you interviewed for step #2, conduct thorough research, and ask them to review (and even test) the new procedures for you. This way, you can see if you missed something, or if there's a simpler way to explain or complete the steps.

The problem a lot of organizations have with their policies and procedures is that they're often written in a vacuum. Each department feels they should be responsible for certain policies, and they expect every other department to follow their dictum.

Writing the best policies and procedures comes from an intra-departmental effort that involves getting the right people from different departments on the same team. It means getting them the right tools and creating the right processes. And it means getting final approval (and buy-in) from executive leadership.

Different industries will all have different policies and procedures. Even the way they write them will be slightly different, although there are a few principles that are the same, such as those we discussed above. 

Based on our own work with these industries, here are a few items that each industry – healthcare, corporations, law enforcement, and city government – should follow.

Writing policies and procedures in healthcare

• Identify experts who can help with the details.
• Review regulatory and accreditation standards for all departments and accrediting agencies.
• List out ALL procedure steps; don't assume there are any "understood" steps.
• Use easy-to-understand language.

Writing policies and procedures best practices for corporations

• Identify the most important policies using the 80/20 principle: Which 20% of policies will give you 80% of the results?
• Find reliable source material, such as borrowing from sample policies in your industry or through your accrediting agency.
• Create a normalized structure for each new policy.
• Make sure to track reviews and approvals by committee members as well as executives.

Writing effective policies and procedures in law enforcement

• List all policies that address national or state rules, regulations, and laws. Focus on expectations and acceptable behavior.
• Make sure you are creating legally defensible policies and procedures. 
• Find the balance between moral and legal obligations.
• Establish training standards for the appropriate policies and procedures.

Writing consistent policies across the entire city government

• Create policies that are simple and easy to understand.
• Include leaders and admins from other departments
• Establish accountability for policies and consequences for violation.
• Creative policies and procedures with public trust in mind. Your policies will be scrutinized by the public more than any other industry in this article.

Regardless of industry, there are 10 policies your organization needs to have in writing. Learn what they are today.

Tools to help you write policies

Just like every other part of policy management, there are tools to help you with areas of policy planning, policy writing, training, and even tracking approvals and signatures . Here are a few of our recommendations.

• Coggle: Mind-mapping software that lets visual thinkers do a brain dump of information. If you don't think in lists, but think in clusters as different ideas pop into your head, Coggle lets you chart out your ideas, interconnecting them as need be. It also lets several people collaborate, comment, and chat within a document at once. You can add text, links, images, and more with simple drag-and-drop tools.
• Evernote: The quintessential note taking tool that lets you save notes and share them on different devices and operating systems, even sharing notebooks between several users. You could save articles and samples of policies to your notebook, share it with committee members, and all have access to the same information.
• Grammarly: The ultimate grammar and spelling checker. You can use their website, a browser plugin, or a plugin for Microsoft Word. You can check grammar, punctuation, and spelling of all your policies and procedures to ensure you don't make a costly mistake . 
• Nimbus Screenshot: If you need to take screenshots of your computer to demonstrate step-by-step instructions of certain procedures, Nimbus Screenshot is a free browser plugin that lets you capture screen images and record video images from your browser window.
• PowerDMS: Of course we're going to mention our own product in our own article! Because PowerDMS can help you with every facet of policy writing. You can use everything from the PowerDMS workflows to collaborating with colleagues and getting buy-in from leadership, to its easy integration with Microsoft Office 365 and Google Drive, to uploading training content and policies from third-parties, such as accreditation agencies and consultants.

Want to learn more?

If you're going to start writing policies and procedures for your own organization, you want to make sure you’re as specific to your industry and organization as possible. Consider the different options for writing policies, including accreditation agencies, leadership and legal counsel, or hiring a consultant.

If you decide to write your own policies and procedures, we've got some additional guidance for you on our website, including which tools can help you with your efforts.

And if you'd just like to see our software in action and to see how it can help with policy writing, you can schedule your demo here .

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How To Write a Policy: A Guide To Turn Beginners Into Experts

Well-written policies lay the groundwork for company success by establishing norms for consistency, clarity and accountability. They set crucial expectations for employee behavior and help your team adhere to legal regulations.

Learn how to write a policy that's easy to understand and implement, and use these best practices to maintain high productivity levels.

What’s a Policy?

A policy is a formal document that explains your company's rules and guidelines for daily operations. Policies are a reference point for employees, helping them understand company expectations regarding proper conduct in various scenarios.

Whether related to employee behavior, data security or workplace safety, policies define the procedures the entire team must follow so that everyone respects the same goals and principles. Clear policies create a healthy working environment by maintaining order, promoting fairness and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

For example, a company’s policy on remote work might permit eligible employees to work from home or another location. The aim might be to offer flexibility while maintaining collaboration and productivity. The policy document can outline the requirements an employee must meet for eligibility, such as a minimum number of months working with the company, as well as expectations of conduct while working remotely, like regular communication and meeting normal work performance metrics. A policy like this makes it clear to all team members what the rules are and what they must do to participate in a remote work environment.

Why Policies Are Important

Policies give employees a structured approach to managing operations and personal behavior. Here are a few benefits of having policies in place:

• Risk mitigation: Policies help companies and teams identify and manage potential risks before serious problems arise. These documents outline clear stances on a variety of different situations, reducing errors and protecting the company's best interests.
• Consistency in daily operations: Thorough policies keep everyone on the same page, helping employees follow the same guidelines for decision-making and general actions. Consistent operational standards guide teams so they uphold expectations and deliver reliable results, no matter their department or function.
• Organizational efficiency: Straightforward policies reduce confusion and delays as employees know exactly what the company expects from them regarding work ethic, behavior and productivity.
• Accountability: Clear expectations for employee behavior and performance make it easier to hold individuals accountable for their actions, leading to more responsible teams.
• Legal and regulatory compliance: Policies help companies ensure they’re following relevant laws and regulations. Compliance prevents legal issues, builds trust with stakeholders and improves the company's reputation by showing a commitment to ethical practices.
• Adaptability to change: Setting policies establishes direction for the present with an eye to the future as the company evolves. A flexible policy framework helps teams adapt to internal and external changes, regardless of personnel.

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How To Create a Policy in 5 Steps

Follow these critical five steps to draft an effective policy that suits your company's needs.

1. Identify Objectives

Before you start writing, determine a goal you hope to achieve. This might include complying with certain legal regulations or promoting specific behaviors within the company.

For example, if you're writing a data protection policy, your overall objective might be to make sure all employees protect company data. The policy can support that aim by setting standards for compliance with privacy laws like GDPR to protect sensitive customer information. 

2. Investigate Existing Processes

Observe current workflows and standards related to the policy you're drafting. This will help you understand what's already in place and where things need to improve. Talk to employees and managers who closely follow these processes daily, as they can offer valuable insights.

Say you’re refining your company’s remote work policy. Currently, any employee is allowed to work remotely full-time if they receive approval. But as you gather relevant information from managers, you notice a trend—newer hires who are fully remote are struggling to keep up with the demands of their roles. When writing the new policy, you might use this insight to inform regulations, requiring all new employees to work onsite for six months before going remote.

3. Determine a Format

Creating a standard policy format simplifies the drafting process for current documents and keeps future policies consistent. Here are some formatting elements to consider when making your policy:

• Use a professional font: You’re creating a formal document, so avoid using overly casual fonts. Instead, easy-to-read typefaces like Arial, Times New Roman and Calibri are suitable and common for policies.
• Keep the font size in mind: A consistent text size for each section improves readability. For example, a size 16 font is generally ideal for headings to separate sections, while size 12 works well for the main body.
• Avoid bright colors: To maintain a professional appearance, avoid vibrant colors and stick to neutral ones like black and white. If appropriate, though, you can use colors strategically to differentiate sections or highlight important points.
• Use simple language: Everyone who reads your policy should quickly understand it. Use straightforward language and concise sentences, and avoid jargon that might confuse readers.

4. Include Key Sections

When writing a policy, add critical sections that make the document clear and actionable for employees. Together, these sections define the policy's intent, who it applies to and the steps to comply.

• Purpose: This section explains why the policy exists and the issues it intends to solve. A well-defined purpose helps employees understand the policy's importance and how it fits into the company's operations.
• Scope: The scope outlines who the policy applies to and under what circumstances, including which departments, roles and situations it covers.
• Roles and responsibilities: This section lists the employees and managers responsible for implementing, enforcing and adhering to the policy.
• Procedures: This section links out to all relevant standard operating procedures that offer detailed guides on processes related to the policy.

Including these sections makes a policy comprehensive and easily understandable. To streamline the creation process, you can also rely on a policy template. Check out Scribe’s ready-made company policy template so you don’t have to start from scratch.

5. Review, Finalize and Publish

Carefully review the drafted policy to check its accuracy. Ask stakeholders like team leads, the HR department and legal teams for input. Once it’s approved, publish the policy and make it easily accessible to all employees via internal email or a company resource hub.

Tips To Write Better Policies

Here are some practical tips to help you write better company policies:

• Identify the audience: Tailor your policy to the specific team or department and clearly define the audience-relevant goals you want to achieve.
• Review related policies: Review existing policies before drafting new ones to maintain consistency and avoid contradictions.
• Use the active voice: Write policies in the active voice to make instructions concise and direct. Unlike the passive voice, the active voice mimics how people speak naturally, making comprehension easier.
• Write in the third person: Use third-person language with pronouns like "they" and "them" to maintain a formal tone and ensure your policies apply universally to all employees and managers.
• Use titles and positions: Refer to roles or job titles instead of individual names so the policy remains relevant even as personnel change.
• Be gender inclusive: Use gender-neutral language, such as “chairperson” instead of “chairman” or “spokesperson” instead of “spokeswoman,” so the policy applies equally and fairly to all employees.
• Provide links to additional resources: Include hyperlinks to relevant documentation, web pages and resources that offer further context or detailed instructions related to your policy and its specific clauses.
• Use command words carefully: Be precise when using command words like "must," "will," "should," "might" and "may" to communicate which actions are obligatory, recommended or optional.
• Use visual cues: Add visual aids like flowcharts, diagrams and icons to make the policy easier to follow, but keep them simple so the graphics don't become overwhelming.
• Expand acronyms upon first mention: Write out terms in full the first time you state them, followed by the acronym in parentheses, and then use just the acronym for every mention after. Also, use abbreviations and acronyms sparingly to reduce confusion, especially if employees unfamiliar with the terms are reading the policy for the first time.
• Test before implementing policies : Run pilot tests of new policies with a small group to identify any issues and ambiguities before rolling them out to the rest of the workforce.
• Regularly update policies: Regularly review and update your policies to align them with changes in laws, regulations and company practices.

Scribe can simplify the testing and updating phases. Scribe's process documentation features let you quickly revisit and revise existing policies, which you can distribute across your company so everyone is on the same page.

Create Practical Policies With Scribe

A crucial part of a successfully run company is making and following good policies. While it might seem challenging at first, the process becomes easier to manage when you follow an organized plan. 

But policies only work if people know exactly how to follow them. With Scribe, you can be sure all the relevant protocols are easy to understand. Just open the Scribe browser extension or desktop app, and the tool will capture each step of your workflow, adding screenshots and annotations to create a complete guide in minutes. Then, link to these guides from your policy documents so every employee can easily access the information they need. Scribe also offers plenty of policy and procedure templates to streamline creation.

Sign up for Scribe today and make policies that drive accountability.

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Best Advertising Agencies in St. Petersburg, FL

Our recommended top 18, we did the research for you.

Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored St. Petersburg Advertising Agencies on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

52 Reviewed

18 Top Picks

Learn about our selection process .

Oleander PR

Expertise.com rating, review sources, why choose this provider.

Oleander PR is a full-service firm that caters to businesses and brands in St. Petersburg. Through content creation, social media management, and press releases, its team helps clients launch projects related to public and media relations to raise brand awareness and improve engagement prospects. It leverages a network of journalists, editors, and producers who work directly with companies to utilize pitches that resonate with target audiences. The firm's previous projects include promotional campaigns for the Sundance, Cannes, and Tribeca film festivals.

• Media Outreach
• Media Training
• Press Release Distribution
• Press Kit Development
• Pitch Development
• Event Public Relations
• Media Relations
• Public Relations

Boost Local

Boost Local is a digital marketing agency serving local businesses in St. Petersburg. Since 2023, it has provided advertising solutions to help entrepreneurs boost their brands online, convert traffic into qualified leads, and increase revenue. The agency creates pay-per-click campaigns on different search engines like Bing and Google. Its team also offers web design, conversion rate optimization, and Google Business Profile setup services. Boost Local collaborates with service providers in the healthcare, financial, and legal industries.

• Email Marketing
• Video Production
• Graphic Design
• Search Engine Optimization
• Social Media Marketing
• PPC Advertising
• Web Testing/Analytics
• Brand Development

Suvonni Digital Marketing

Suvonni Digital Marketing was founded in 2011 and offers digital advertising services in the Saint Petersburg metro area. Its digital professionals help clients to come up with effective advertising strategies such as Google ads and advertising campaigns to boost their online presence on social media platforms. Other non-advertising services include social media management, content creation, web design, brand marketing, and SEO. The company has worked with various organizations, including Kingzie Builders, Elm Street Place, and Access Living.

CEA Marketing

CEA Marketing is a full-service marketing and advertising agency serving clients in the Saint Petersburg area. The company's advertising services include social media marketing; printed flyers, magazine ads, and newspaper ads; direct mail marketing; broadcasting; SEO; and paid digital marketing. Its team of designers, photographers, and specialists implement creative advertising solutions to elevate consumer engagement, increase revenue, and boost brand awareness. CEA Marketing has worked with Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Cardel Homes, and Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl.

ColorAmerica, Inc.

ColorAmerica Inc is a branding and advertising company located in Largo and serving clients in the St. Petersburg area. The agency begins its advertising process by consulting with clients to discover their goals and devise a strategy. Next it produces and edits the necessary media, including images, videos, logos, and other graphics, tailoring them to the client's needs. Finally, it bundles each project into a cohesive advertising campaign that speaks to the targeted audience.

Mark My Words Media

Mark My Words Media is a digital advertising agency that's located in Treasure Island and serves the greater St. Petersburg area. The agency provides a range of advertising services to law firms, including market research, lead generation, website content, campaign optimization, and data analysis. Additional services include SEO, pay-per-click advertising, lead tracking, and copywriting. Mark My Words Media has worked with Cairn's Law, Panico Law, and Leisa Erickson and Associates.

Evolve & Co

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The Veterinary Marketing Firm

The Veterinary Marketing Firm focuses on comprehensive marketing solutions for veterinarians. This St. Petersburg-based agency offers service plans that include Pet Portal integration, and its social media advertising plans use SEO techniques for effective customer targeting based on specific demographic parameters. Its search and call tracking services provide ROI analyses on the clients' ad campaigns. The company also offers a la carte services, including video production, online branding reputation management, website and landing page design, public relations, and print services.

Conversion Chasers

Conversion Chasers is an advertising agency in Saint Petersburg. It helps businesses develop targeted advertising campaigns through the most effective channels for each client. Advertising channels include YouTube, Facebook, Bing Ads, and Instagram, and the agency is a Google Ads Premier Partner. SEO consultants continuously analyze various data points and site traffic, along with competitor research, to update and improve advertising strategies. Content specialists study relevant keywords that perform well in search engine rankings.

Providentia Marketing

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Pinstripe Marketing & Interactive

Pinstripe Marketing & Interactive is a full-service agency that provides advertising, marketing, and public relations solutions from its office in St. Petersburg. It works for clients in the legal, financial, health care, construction, real estate, and technology sectors. The agency creates print, TV, radio, outdoor, and digital ads. It delivers comprehensive marketing campaigns that enhance its clients' brand awareness, customer reach, and ROI. Other services include branding, web design, social media strategy, and event planning.

Strategic Media Inc.

Strategic Media is an agency located in Clearwater which extends its services to clients in Saint Petersburg and Tampa. It conducts indoor advertising, which places demographically customer-targeted print ads inside high traffic or common areas of buildings, offices, and restrooms. Its online marketing campaigns employ a combination of SEO and website design to attract, retain, and convert visitors and deliver web traffic to clients, respectively. Strategic Media's online advertising also extends to social media campaigns.

Horizon Marketing Group

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ClickFirst Marketing is a Saint Petersburg-based marketing company that has provided advertising services to local businesses since 2015. The firm offers PPC management, marketing and advertising strategy development, social media marketing, online reputation management, and blog writing services. It also offers local marketing services, including text message marketing, business listing management, and social wi-fi marketing. Additionally, the team is experienced in responsive website design. ClickFirst Marketing's clients include Relentless Gear and AnswerFirst.

Buzzazz Business Solutions

Founded in 1987, Buzzazz Business Solution provides advertising services to businesses operating in the Saint Petersburg metro area. The company has a team of digital experts that offers paid advertising services using Google ads for service engines and social media. Other services include SEO, social media management, web designing, digital marketing, and digital quality control optimization. Buzzazz Business Solution is a recipient of the WISE Model of Administrative Know-How Award.

Bella Designs

Founded in 2008, Bella Designs is a full-service Saint Petersburg advertising, marketing, and design agency that delivers cutting edge marketing and advertising campaigns nationwide. The company helps businesses create marketing strategies that engage clients' targeted audiences, utilizing solutions for branding, print, web presence, and packaging. It helps organizations take proactive approaches to interacting with prospects and customers. Bella Designs additionally provides copywriting, professional photography, and custom artwork as well as video for documentaries, shorts, and website clips.

Textus Marketing

Textus Marketing is a digital advertising company that has served Largo and the St. Petersburg area since 2007. The agency creates pay-per-click advertising for clients on the Google AdWords, Facebook, and LinkedIn platforms. Textus Marketing conducts A/B tests for competing ads, and it handles SEO and website development. Additional services include online review management, website design, hosting, and development and mobile marketing via emails and text messages. Textus Marketing has worked on projects for Green Worldwide Transportation and Action Limousine.

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What is an advertising agency?

Advertising agencies are hired by various sized businesses to create advertisements for different media platforms. Agencies are typically staffed with teams that include graphic designers, copywriters, planners, and art directors. These team members work together to understand a company's brand, values, and goals and create ads for platforms such as print, web, mobile, radio, and television.

There are several types of advertising agencies, including:

Full-Service Agencies

• Plan, develop and execute advertisements
• Staffed by experts in all areas of advertising and marketing

Interactive Agencies

• Focus on online and mobile advertising
• Advertising methods often feature interactive technology

Creative Boutiques

• Focus on creative components of advertisements
• Smaller companies with a limited team of copywriters and creative staff

Media-Buying Agencies

• Acts as a broker, buying and selling airtime and advertising space

What is a full-service advertising agency?

Full-service advertising agencies work with clients throughout the entire advertising process, from conceptualizing and developing advertising content, to executing advertising strategies. Alternatively, companies can work with à la carte advertising agencies if they're only looking for help with one or two steps of the advertising process, such as ad creation or media buying.

How much do companies spend on advertising?

Most experts recommend companies spend about 8% of their gross revenue on advertising and marketing, but this amount can vary depending on the company's preferred method of advertising. One of the most expensive ads ever produced is Pepsi's “Joy of Pepsi” Super Bowl ad featuring Britney Spears, which cost the company more than $8 million.

How do advertising agencies make money?

While some advertising agencies charge an hourly rate or fixed fee for their services, other fee structures can be a bit more complex. Some advertising agencies may charge clients based on value—that is, they take a percentage of the client's return on investment (ROI). These kinds of fee structures typically carry less risk for the customer because the advertising agency is financially incentivized to produce successful advertising.

How can companies use social media to advertise?

Social media advertising can be a low-cost option for businesses of all sizes. Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram make it easy for companies to create their own advertisements and roll them out to their target audiences, with just a few clicks.

However, while do-it-yourself social media advertising can be an effective solution for companies with limited advertising budgets, it goes without saying that the expertise of a skilled advertising agency shouldn't be discounted. Advertising experts can quickly help companies determine the best way to roll out social media campaigns and scale them to ensure a high return on investment.

What is a digital ad agency?

Digital ad agencies combine the principles of traditional advertising, including graphic design and copywriting, with modern technology. These agencies typically go above and beyond standard advertising services, providing clients with a full host of marketing services and digital solutions. Some services that are commonly offered by digital ad agencies include:

• Social media marketing
• Search engine optimization
• Content creation
• Pay-per-click advertising
• Website design
• App development
• Email marketing
• Media campaigns
• Video production

What ad agency does Geico use?

For more than 25 years, Geico has been working with The Martin Agency. Together, this insurance provider and its advertising agency have created an enormous catalog of witty campaigns for television, radio, and digital media.

Several principles are followed in the creation of Geico's ads, including light humor and clarity of brand. Following these principles, The Martin Agency has created a broad range of recognizable characters and ads for Geico, including the Hump Day campaign and, of course, Geico's famous gecko commercials.

How much do advertising agencies charge?

The cost of advertising services can vary greatly, with social media advertising campaigns ranging from $250 to $10,000 per month and video advertisements starting from about $1,000 to more than $1 million. Other services, including copywriting and graphic design, are also subject to varying costs, with some agencies charging a combined fee for copywriting and graphic design and others charging à la carte.

Why do companies advertise?

There are many benefits to advertising a business. While every company tends to go about advertising their products or services in different ways, the benefits are generally the same. They include:

• Generating awareness of the business
• Sharing information about upcoming sales or product launches with consumers
• Providing consumers with details, such as the business's address, website or phone number
• Establishing brand identity
• Changing the general public's perception of the business
• Increasing revenue

What does a copywriter do at an ad agency?

Copywriters are an important part of an advertising agency's creative team. Working alongside art directors and graphic designers, copywriters help to determine the tone for the advertisements they create. They're responsible for writing text, scripts and CTAs (call to action) for print and digital media advertising, and, in many cases, they come up with taglines, which are often the most memorable part of an advertisement.

What does a managing director do at an ad agency?

Managing directors are responsible for overseeing the relationship between clients and the creative team. They act as a liaison between these parties, ensuring that the creative team is meeting the needs of the client and producing work in an efficient and timely manner. The managing director is also responsible for handling financial transactions with the client and, in most companies, reporting financial information to the company's financial director.

Are ad agencies liable for false advertising?

In the event that false claims are made in advertisements, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) typically investigates both the brand and the ad agency. Liability is then determined on a case-by-case basis. As such, it's important that brands and ad agencies work together to create honest advertising campaigns and establish strict compliance and quality assurance processes.

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