May 16, 2017
How to Introduce New Policies and Procedures to Ensure Employee Buy-in
Dan Rose, Content Creator at SkillPath
When an organization needs employees to handle certain situations in a consistent way, developing written procedures and policies can help outline those steps. There may be government regulations or laws that need to be followed. Or, maybe you just need to ensure fair treatment for everyone involved. Then there are just the procedural changes that you believe will help your processes run smoother and increase productivity.
Regardless of the reason, putting the process in writing is only the first step. The second step is how you decide to introduce new policies to your employees.
Your organization’s policies and procedures can only be effective if you make sure employees read and understand them. Whether you work in HR or are a manager in another department, it is crucial that you work together to create a united front. If employees see any kind of management divide over new policies, they will probably resist and grumble about them at best, and reject doing them at worst.
9 ways to increase the odds of a smooth acceptance, when you introduce new policies and procedures:
Introduce new policies at an employee meeting
Have an employee who was part of the development or review process present the new policy or procedure
Place a notice where all other required notices are posted
Announce a contest or giveaway whenever changes are made
Distribute change and update notices
Ask each employee to sign off that they have received a copy
Incorporate them into employee training and development
Highlight at least one policy and procedure at every training and development session
Include them at new employee orientation; formally review all policies and procedures with every new employee
Getting Buy-in
As with any change, expect some people to be great supporters of the new policies and procedures and others to be more resistant. The resistant ones are that way because of fear. Their fears might include loss of control, being out of the loop, or more work and responsibility. To help alleviate fears and increase cooperation, consider the following:
Explain the short-and long-term benefits
Expect behavior change to be gradual
Provide reminders
Provide resources to make the transition easy
Involve representatives from every department from the onset
Find champions and ask for their support
Consider phases of implementation
Talk in terms of how much easier their work will be on an individual basis
Devise a system to communicate new additions or changes to the process to all users
Remember that even positive changes at work cause stress among workers. However, following the steps above should help keep YOUR stress to a minimum.
Dan Rose
Content Creator at SkillPath
Dan Rose is a content creator at SkillPath who uses his experience from a 30-year writing career to focus on timely events that impact today’s business world.
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