Policy and Procedure Corner
The Purpose of Policies and Procedure
“Policies and procedures are the strategic link between the company’s vision and its day-to-day operations.”
Ingrid Fredeen, Vice President, Advisory Services, NAVEX Global
Your company’s vision, mission, and values serve as a clearly visible “north star” for policy development. Policies drive the various facets of corporate culture—ethical, social, professional, and legal. They should reflect and support the organization’s vision as well as its desired attitudes toward performance, including a culture of compliance.
Supporting the organizational vision by creating, maintaining, communicating, and training on your policies requires a significant effort. If your team becomes buried by onerous administrative tasks, you and they may have a tendency to begin regarding policies like some employees do—as a necessary evil and an inconvenience. Your team cannot afford to think this way; they must champion the idea that policies can and do change behavior, alter decision-making, and serve many vital purposes within the organization.
10 PURPOSES OF POLICIES
- To convey the organization’s mission and enable the execution of its strategy
- To ensure that employees clearly understand expectations and consequences
- To influence employee behavior and decision-making
- To create a positive and respectful workplace
- To foster credibility and trust with customers and business partners
- To improve productivity and business performance
- To meet all legal standards required to operate
- To protect the organization, its people, its reputation, and its bottom line
- To avoid litigation and mitigate risk
- To prevent, detect, and respond to criminal conduct