Paul Idziak
Shermco Industries, Inc.
Providing a clear and concise handbook (or policy manual) to employees cannot be undervalued or neglected. The handbook can help establish the culture of the organization along with clearly communicating to employees the expectations and policies of the business. The most recent Management Pulse survey results on workplace polices tell the story that most of the organizational managers agree on the importance of the company handbook.
An overwhelming majority of respondents reported that they have a company handbook (77%) and an Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) policy manual (71%) for their respective organization.
Adhering to workplace policies
More than 88% of respondents answered that they adhere to and enforce workplace policies always or most of the time. This is important because by doing so, it sets expectations of the employee and shows that management follows through. This is a very encouraging signal in our industry that we are treating employees fairly and have strong management practices.
I would challenge the nearly 12% of respondents who only sometimes adhere to and enforce workplace policies to either update the manual to make their policies relevant or look internally to change their management practices.
Employees come to work wanting to do a good job and be good employees. Supporting the documented policies will help the company retain employees and improve morale.
Importance of workplace policies
Nearly 80% of respondents feel workplace policies are very or extremely important to the success of the organization. Again, doing what you say you are going to do is good management practice and is the sign of a healthy organization.
Reviewing workplace policies
While the majority of managers feel workplace policies are important, the majority also only updates workplace policies when needed (60%) rather than annually. If something is vital to the organization’s success, wouldn’t it be a better practice to update the policies more frequently? We cannot predict every situation, but being proactive can help avoid unwanted situations and promote a better work environment.
In conclusion, workplace policies define the organization’s culture, work environment and expectations. These help create the personality of the organization that interacts with your customers and that your employees promote. I encourage each organization to continue to take these policies seriously while being more proactive with updating your company’s handbook.
EASA’s Management Services Committee thanks those who participated in the survey. I hope you continue to enforce your company’s policies and update them regularly to continue being a remarkable company for both your customers and your employees.
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