When it comes to internal documentation, you are likely to hear the words “process,” “procedure,” and “policy,” sometimes even” interchangeably! But they represent three very different things! In this post we’ll cover exactly what you need to know about “the three P’s” and how important each one is to your organization.
What is a Process?
A process is a sequence of events that leads to a particular goal, or an overview of the actions needed to complete a specific task. These actions can involve one team, one person, or several different departments, but the objective will always be the same.
How many processes an organization has depends on its individual goals, the size of the company, and the industry. And by looking closely at the events in a process, and analyzing the data each time a process is completed, businesses can use this information to make their work more efficient.
Examples of processes include:
- Sales.
- Content marketing.
- Customer service.
- Hiring.
- Onboarding.
- Supply procurement.
- Product development.
- Human resources.
- Project management.
What is a Procedure?
If a process answers the “what” of a question, the procedure answers the “how.” Procedures provide more in-depth details on how to complete very specific tasks and jobs, compared to processes, which give a broader overview.
Procedures are really a description of and clear instructions on how to perform and complete a task. They can support processes by providing the steps needed to reach the goal. These instructions can promote safety, efficiency, and consistency, and putting them in writing can help improve an organization’s overall operations.
Some examples of procedures are:
- Using a software product.
- Conducting an operation specialized to an industry.
- Reporting.
- Billing.
- Completing Forms.
- Delivering a product or service.
- Shipping.
- Updating records.
- Collecting data.
- Reimbursing expenses.
What Is a Policy?
A policy is a rule that dictates an organization or industry’s standards and expectations. Policies provide information on not only what the rules are, but why they are in place and who is responsible for following them.
Policies help employees and teams meet strategic goals, uphold company values, improve safety, meet compliance requirements, and improve the customer experience. Procedures and processes might meet these needs, but not always.
Policies can cover the following areas:
- Code of conduct.
- Corporate Administration.
- Legal.
- Business Expenses.
- Travel.
- Corporate services.
- Information systems management.
- Corporate security.
- Purchasing.
- Company fleet cars.
- Support services.
- Comptroller/financial services.
- Internal/external customer relations.
- Industry-specific.
- Recruitment.
- Smoking.
- Equipment safety.
- Drugs and alcohol.
- Training.
The Importance of Policies, Procedures, and Processes in The Workplace
Policies, procedures, and processes are central to an organization’s efficiency, reputation, productivity, safety, and bottom line. They make up the bulk of instructions team members need to follow not only to complete their work, but to complete it meeting the company’s expectations and standards.
However, these instructions and rules shouldn’t simply be printed and filed away. Documentation should ensure that your employees are following the regulations you have in place for their safety and your company’s operations.
By opting for well-written and well-formatted documentation, policies, procedures, and processes, you can:
- Make training consistent across your organization.
- Lower safety risks.
- Be compliant with industry and government regulations within your industry.
- Improve emergency responses.
- Provide your team with resources to return to if they should have questions or concerns about their responsibilities.
- Increase the lifespan of your equipment thanks to proper use and better maintenance schedules.
- Improve knowledge sharing and ensure tribal knowledge isn’t lost when team members retire or leave the company.
- Provide extra data and information for when processes, policies, and procedures need to be improved for efficiency or to meet new and changing standards.
- Standardize the hiring and onboarding processes.
- Improve workplace culture and the employee experience.
- Enforce rules and regulations more effectively.
- Improve communication, reduce the need for repeated questions, and lower the chance for miscommunication and mistakes due to misunderstandings.
- Reduce costs.
Understanding the differences between policies, procedures, and processes ensures that organizations are using the right documentation for their unique needs and workload. These three pieces of the documentation puzzle are must-haves if a company wants to improve efficiency, meet industry compliance requirements, and lower overall cost of operations.
Shea Writing and Training Solutions can help you get a better handle on your policies, procedures, processes, and other documentation your organization might need. Our technical writers specialize in developing clear and concise instructions that meet your unique needs, challenges, and concerns. For more information about how we can assist you, start here.
