How to Write Effective Policies and Procedures
SkillPath Seminars

Delivery Method

Seminar

Target Audience
Managers, HR Personnel

Summary
This seminar will get you up to speed on the nuts and bolts of writing and developing your organization’s policies and procedures.

Description/Agenda

You’ll learn …

• Avoid words and phrases that just make people mad
• Overcome employees’ endless excuses for not reading, understanding or following the rules
• Watch out for legal traps that even the pros can sometimes overlook
• Write clearly and concisely—even if writing doesn’t come naturally
• And much more!

Do you spend hours struggling with what needs to be said and how to say it? Do you worry that employees will misinterpret what you wrote … gripe … or simply file it away without even looking at it? Do you wonder if you’ve covered all the legal bases, left anything important out or made a mistake that will surface later and cause you grief? There’s so much involved in writing effective policies and procedures. That’s why we’re excited to bring you How to Write Effective Policies and Procedures—the seminar that gets you up to speed on the nuts and bolts of writing and developing your organization’s policies and procedures.

In just one day, you’ll gain hundreds of rules, strategies, guidelines and shortcuts that will make your job easier and ensure you get the results you want—well-written policies and procedures that are read and understood by all. Sign up for this important workshop today!

Program hours: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Understand what makes policies and procedures work

• What good policy and procedure writing is really all about
• Signs that an informal or “unwritten” rule is no longer working
• A temptation you’ll probably face before you even begin writing—and how to resist it
• Why documentation is so important: Tips that could keep you out of trouble later
• Is a written policy or procedure necessary? Here’s how to erase any uncertainty

Get off to a quick start

• What could happen if you skim over the critical research stage
• How to avoid the common problems that contribute to writer’s block
• Struggling with how to simplify a multi-step procedure? Have you tried a flowchart?
• What it takes to write a perfect policy or procedure on a super-tight deadline
• How to sound firm—without coming across like a bulldozer
• Mind mapping: How this simple pre-writing exercise can save you time and frustration

Write with new clarity and ease

• Understand what “clarity” really is and why you must change old habits to achieve it
• 15 great tips for writing policies and procedures that leave no room for misinterpretation
• Where flab often pops up—from extra words to long sentences to padded paragraphs
• Avoiding the dreaded “huh?” response: How to ensure users “get” what you mean
• Don’t do this, don’t do that—are your employees suffering from “rule overload”?
• Words and phrases that almost always rub people the wrong way
• Advice for writing a policy or procedure you don’t agree with (you’ll need this someday!)

Feel confident you’ve cut legal liability to a minimum

• The how’s and why’s of writing disclaimers
• Watching out for absolutes, weasel words, conditional phrases and other hidden legal traps
• Writing job descriptions—how they’re different from anything else you’ll write
• Problems to look out for when creating an employment application form
• 5 tips for staying out of legal hot water
• Your safest options for eliminating discriminatory language
• When you must require employees to “sign on the dotted line”

Improve readability with proven design and graphics tools

• 8 design mistakes that turn users off—and what to do instead
• How to differentiate between visual clarity and visual clutter
• How to achieve consistency from top to bottom, page to page
• 3 ways to help users locate information in manuals and handbooks—easily and quickly
• Checklist: Is your document designed for readability?
• The right format makes all the difference—how to choose wisely

Take charge of the implementation process

• How an approval loop can protect you later should problems crop up
• The pros and cons of notifying users in person … in writing … by e-mail
• 7 trusted guidelines for announcing news you know will be unpopular
• Overcoming misunderstandings that can occur in group meetings
• A general rule about “management” and how to use it to your advantage (Hint: They hate surprises!)

Diplomatically handle all kinds of resistance

• Why employees resist change—and what to do when they dig in their heels
• Handling the unique stressors of implementing dress codes, smoking policies and other emotionally charged guidelines
• How to stand your ground when employees claim a rule is silly, unfair or unnecessary
• How to get people to quit making excuses and read what you write

Maintain order as you update and revise

• Understand the revision cycle—step by step, start to finish—so you can control it
• The real danger in not updating old policies and procedures
• How to work in revisions with a minimum of disruption
• Is it time to change a policy or procedure? Listening to the clues around you
• Do’s and don’ts when bringing policies and procedures on-line

All Date/Location Information