why are policies and procedures put into place?

Answer 1

They are two different things. A procedure tells people how to perform a function, so that there is documentation that can be used to train new employees, and so the work is performed consistently (not relying on instructions which are in someone's head.)

A policy is a statement about actions which are or are not acceptable, usually on behalf of an institution (school, business, government) to its constituents (students, employees, citizens.) Policies serve to define behavior limits and also to limit the liability of the institution who issues them.

For example, a policy which prohibits employees from using controlled substances while on the job will serve to protect the company if it terminates an employee for using drugs at work and the employee files a wrongful termination suit. Sadly, it's a litigious world, and documentation diminishes the risk of a verdict in favor of the plaintiff.

Answer 2

To avoid training people to do the actual work.

P&P's are usually developed after some massive ****-up for example, by an untrainined work experience Temp. on the Customer Support Desk that no-one bothered to supervise.

Typically a Committee will be formed with some grand title such as 'Central Response Answering Policy Team' (which will be abbrievated by everyone else to 'the C.R.A.P. team')

They will allocate the task of developing the Policy/Procedure to some-one with nothing else to do - the fact that this person has never actually done the job themselves will not be considered relevant - not will any attempt be made to actually speak to people doing the job.

The Policy will be presented to Senior Management for approval in an all-day 500 Power-Point multi-media slide show. At least the first 400 of the slides will be 'Why we need a Policy' - and although the meeting wil over-run into the late evening there will be insufficient time to actually present anything other than a broad outline of the Policy itself.

They will be very impressed with the 'harvesting' of customer feedback, 'storing' of knowledge and 'transporting' of solutions back to the customers.

Management then 'launch' the Policy/Procedure at arms length - for example, via the HR Department - and after a huge 'look how clever we are' campaign everyone is issued with a massive 1000 page single sided colour printed document which they promptly hide in their bottom drawer and forget about.

A few years later a new Manager wil take over the Department and some-one will hand him the 1000 page Policy Document with the words 'this is how the Department functions' ... after reading the first dozen or so pages he will realise that the author was a dyslixic Korean exchange student whose last job was farming turnips who had no idea how a Customer Help Desk operated so had written a Manual on how to harvest, store and transport Turnips instead ...

Answer 3

Ok, Policy and Procedures are used in a big and medium size organisation.

Policy describes rules of a workplace but not law.

It can be no smoking, dress code...

Procedures are used to indicate employees how to do the work.
They are useful as one can check that standard procedures are being followed using the procedure document.

policy and procedures document are helpful for new employees and important as they can be a important point of reference whenever something uncommon happens.

Answer 4

so that people that lack the mantal fortitude and end up asking questions like this, don't have to think for themselves and can just follow a set of instructions or procedure and not endanger the public or the success of their work

Answer 5

because employers need to measure performance, and the best way is to measure adherance to policy and procedure.

Answer 6

So that we or they know what is expected in A) the work place.B) In a club. C) In public etc

Answer 7

So you don't surf the internet all day long and think it's ok to waste company time.

Answer 8

For liability for anything.

Answer 9

for a bit of order in this world maybe, dont think it works to well.

Answer 10

so that employers and employees know what is expected of them