Let’s face it: policy management is like eating your
vegetables. It’s necessary and we know we have to
deal with it every day to stay healthy. But in reality, quality policy creation, dissemination, and continuous management are crucial to
any organization. Every internal document has the same higher purpose: to keep the
organization in compliance and its personnel happy and safe.
Whether
they exist in file cabinets, as PDFs on an
intranet system, you probably have quite the
collection of policies and procedures at your organization. But how are
you managing them – if at all? And what about the documents you know
need to be written, but you just can’t find the time to author them?
Luckily,
policy management software exist to help you through this
process. Here are five steps that will get you started on moving toward a
better future with your policy management.
- Make a list of your unique needs.
Tons of tools exist to make your professional life easier while keeping
you in compliance. Your specific needs will help
guide you to the right set of software.
- Consider your options and make a purchase.
Once you’ve made a list of what you need, do a little research. Google
some relevant keywords that pertain to your needs, or even shoot a
little higher with industry-specific searches. See what websites offer
something you can take away (like a whitepaper or eBook), which give you
the most bang for your buck, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of
any sales representatives who contact you.
- Start brainstorming.
How your policies currently exist is a big factor in what this step
means for you. If you already have all the documentation you need in one
of the aforementioned formats (hard copy, PDF files, etc.), all you
need to do is upload them and make sure you stick to a consistent naming
convention. If there are policies you need to author, then hopefully
you chose a set of software that allows you to do that!
- Distribute!
Enjoy time saved, as well as money saved on paper, by sending out your
policies to those employees who need to read and sign off on them
electronically. If necessary, have them take attached tests for maximum
knowledge retention and assurance.
- Keep up with it.
Set expiration dates on document signatures. This will ensure no one’s
compliance slips through the cracks, without you having to manually sort
through a never-ending stack of papers or set of scattered PDF files.