Policies are structured guidelines that provide structure, minimize ambiguity and align employees with company goals, values and legal requirements. Constructing a policy requires an examination of existing protocols and statutes, as well as input from stakeholders who have a vested interest in the policy’s evolution. Policies should clearly articulate performance expectations, establish disciplinary actions, and define misconduct. Policies also help businesses manage data security and compliance, as well as develop employee career paths and professional growth.

The timing of new policy implementation is critical to ensure employee buy-in and avoid organizational change fatigue, which leads to decreased engagement, increased disengagement and a lack of adaptability. It is also important to be responsive to feedback from employees and insights gathered through performance data to make adjustments to the policy and its implementation.

An effective policy will be written in plain language using precise words, short sentences and understandable terminology. If technical terminology or words with specialized meaning are used, they should be defined in the “Definitions” section of the policy. Remember that university policies are generally enforcing requirements, not communicating permissive guidelines or suggestions.

Policies can be created for any number of reasons, including the introduction of new equipment, departments or tasks, the need to comply with industry regulations or the development of new employee job descriptions. However, companies should be cautious when introducing a new policy that may negatively impact the financial stability of some employees. In these cases, a redistributive policy should be introduced to shift resources from those with more wealth or privilege to those with less.