As owner of the company, you have hired others to take care of certain procedures like the mail, answering the telephone, updating the website, marketing, or doing payroll.  But, are you guiding the way or is it being managed by the employee assigned to that task?  Are the assigned tasks being performed consistently and done to comply with any regulations the company must follow?  Do you know if they are done in an efficient manner or could the process be improved?  Most importantly, are you getting the data and feedback you need to run your company?

There are many reasons to have a procedure manual for each task performed in your compay.  But, let me just focus in on those I feel are really important. Do current procedures:

• meet operational needs
• continue to improve process
• support your emergency planning
• keep your company compliant
• help you manage risk

Meet Operational Needs.  Well-written and up-to-date procedures make sure the same process is done the same way every time.  Once the procedures are completed (and kept up to date), they ensure consistency.  When a new employee comes on board, use your procedures manual as a training tool to show them how to do their assigned job once but then reference the procedures manual as a guide from that point forward.   Most importantly, when your company experiences an event such as an office fire, hardware crash, or simply someone gone for a short period of time (on vacation or away for business), written procedures allow other employees or management to step in and get the job done right!

Continuously Improve Process.  With written procedures, you can easily review each process on a set basis (i.e., annually) to check for any possible process improvement.  So often, we do things the same way -- over and over -- because that's the way it has been done before.  Use your written procedures manual to review the procedure while evaluating each step for any possible improvement. 

Emergency Planning. If your office is hit with either a large or small emergency, having the procedures written and up-to-date makes it easier for employees and management to easily fill in to get the job done should that be necessary.  As owner, with written procedures, you could do any job in the company -- maybe more slowly and not as well -- but you could do it without having to hire out and do it according to your company's process.  This is especially true when the disaster results in the unexpected loss of a staff member or officer.

On Being Compliant.  If you operate in an industry where being compliant with either federal or state regulations is required, you can make sure your procedures follow the steps needed to make -- and keep -- your company compliant.  If you need to be compliant, writing procedures should be a very high priority!

Take Control of YOUR Risks.  There are certain tasks and functions that are fundamental to the success of your company.  With written procedures that are guided by management, it means you will have tasks performed the way you want them to be performed and in a way that meets the company's needs.  For example, if you lose a key employee, you lose that expertise of how things were done -- unless it is documented.  Or, if you have hired an incompetent vendor, your procedure should help you weed them out because it would include checks and balances.  You need to manage these risks and having written procedures will go a long way in making sure that happens!

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