Last week, I talked about how our experience as a virtual business support agency (I'll tell you the story behind coining that term later) inspired us to prioritize helping teams with team operations and resource development.
I realized that the long-term success of women-owned businesses depends on more than just checking tasks off a list. It's about having a strong foundation, including your backend operations and how you hire, train, and execute work.
This brings me to my point this week. When I mention policies, processes, and procedures, some people may not be familiar with these terms or understand how having these resources can benefit their business.
So, Let's Talk About The 3P's Today!
The 3Ps are a teaching term that I use in my SOP workshops to reference policies, processes, and procedures.
Policy
A policy is a set of rules your business creates to guide current and future employees. Policies are usually shared in the form of a handbook and revised as things are updated or added. Policies often relate to state laws that the employer must share with the employee. Examples of policies found in a handbook:
1. Team Communication Policy
2. Transition Memo and Documentation Policy
3. Shift Scheduling and Coverage Policy
Process
Your daily operations consist of various processes. Imagine a process as a set of tasks you need to finish to get a certain result. One important process all businesses should have is onboarding new employees. This means figuring out what to do to get them started, what information to share, and what they need to finish. When you write down your processes, it's clearer how different departments should work together and what needs to be done to achieve the goal. Remember, processes are ever-evolving!
Procedure
A procedure is a step-by-step breakdown of how to complete a particular task within a process. For example, within the onboarding process for new employees, a procedure could be a step-by-step guide on how to conduct an orientation session, including what topics to cover, who should be present, and what materials to provide. Procedures provide detailed instructions for carrying out tasks efficiently and consistently within a larger process. They help ensure that each step is completed correctly and in the right order to achieve the desired outcome.
So remember, a policy is the rule, a process is a series of procedures, and a procedure is how to complete a specific task. Does that make sense, First name? Let me know if this breakdown is helpful!
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