3/25/23, 11:08 AM HR Policies and Procedures | Ways to Write HR Policies & Procedures

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HRcom/human-
Employee
Policies and Procedures
Relations( https://www.educba.com/human-resource/human-resource-blog/employee-relations/ ) Entrep
resource/)
By Jesal Shethna (https://www.educba.com/author/jesal-shethna/)

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Policies.jpg.webp)

What are HR Policies and Procedures?

An organization works within a framework or within certain guidelines. These
guidelines are set by the top management and different departments of the
company, including the HR team, completely depending on the type of HR
policies and procedures that need to be implemented. This framework and these
guidelines are known as the HR policies and procedures of the company. The HR
policies and procedure of any company describe the business of the organization
and how do you need to execute the business
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do you need to perform.

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In short, the HR policies and procedures of the company provide guidelines on
how do you execute your job (https://www.educba.com/how-to-rock-your-
first-job/) in the company and also what you can do and what you cannot do in
the organization. They also guide you on the activities that can and cannot be
performed by the employees of the company, along with what decisions can be
made and cannot be made. It is also said that these policies and procedures are
not law enforced by the government, yet they have they usually have a
foundation in law.

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Human resource processes, human resources management & others

Definition of Policy:

A policy can be defined as…

A plan and a high-level statement which formally briefs with an inclusion of the
organizational goals, general benefits, acceptable procedures, and objectives to a
certain area of the subject is known as a policy. It always specifies the required

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3/25/23, 11:08 AM HR Policies and Procedures | Ways to Write HR Policies & Procedures

j p y y p q
action and defines the standard pointer, and they also have a few elements, for
example.
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Employee Relations( https://www.educba.com/human-resource/human-resource-blog/employee-relations/ ) Entrep
resource/)
1. The requirement of compliance is mandatory.
2. Disciplinary action that needs to be taken against failure to comply with
these policies
3. Desired results need to be focused and how to implement
4. Set standard guidelines to need to be specified and defined appropriately

Definition of Procedures:

Procedures define a process, and the process states what job is going to be
performed by whom? When does the job need to be performed, and what are
the criteria for performing the job? These procedures can either be put down on
a process manual and outlined or can be written down in text.

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1. Procedures include a step by step accomplishment towards the end goal of

the job to be performed.

2. Procedures are machines in the form of text to enforce the policy and a way
of protecting resources.
3. It’s a guide to refer to at the time of any crises in the organization.

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3/25/23, 11:08 AM HR Policies and Procedures | Ways to Write HR Policies & Procedures

g y g
4. It helps in abolishing problems in one single instinct
5. Procedures can also be called as SOP or Standard Operating Procedures.
(https://www.educba.
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Employee Relations( https://www.educba.com/human-resource/human-resource-blog/employee-relations/ ) Entrep

How does the Combination of Policy and

resource/)

Procedure Work?
An organisation’s policy is also known as the guiding principle of the
organization used to set a direction for the employees working in the company.
Whereas procedures are step by step direction that needs to be followed with
consistency and continually lead the organization towards its set goals. When
combined together, HR policies and procedure guide and help the employees or
the management responsible for using and setting up the processes by directing
them and giving them the consistency required for successful improvement of
processes.

Both HR policies and procedure need to work appropriately for the system of the
organization to work fine. Not having them in the system does make completing
any task in the organization difficult as it serves as the guide for the employees.
Policies and procedures try to eliminate or minimize mistakes, making the
operations of the organization work smoothly. HR policies and procedure make
the processes of the organization more transparent this makes the system
function smoothly.

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Why do you need to have Policy and

Procedures in an Organization?
Let us list down the necessity of having policies and procedures

1. It makes the system more transparent and easier to work in.

2. A transparent system attracts more business and better employees to work
for.
3. Policies and procedures help people in setting realistic expectations for the
organization.
4. An organized system reduces the chances of making mistakes
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misunderstandings.
5. They set principles for the organizational work along with what and who the
company values.
6. What management can and is supposed to do to ensure that it creates
security, satisfaction, reassurance, and a fun-loving atmosphere within the
organization also confirm what the organisation will do in return for the
employees.

7. Sets the rule of treating each and every employee inside the organization
fairly and with complete respect.
8. Sets guidelines as to how well the organization help the employee to their

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3/25/23, 11:08 AM HR Policies and Procedures | Ways to Write HR Policies & Procedures

g g p p y
respond and their support in case of any concern.
9. Helps in a conflicting situation with the help of resolutions mentioned in the
(https://www.educba.
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Employeeprocedures.
Relations( https://www.educba.com/human-resource/human-resource-blog/employee-relations/ ) Entrep
resource/)
10. Hr policies and the procedure are a complete guide for the organisation’s
management to ensure that the company functions smoothly.

Importance of Policy and Procedures of an

Organization
Important points inside the HR policies:

1. The process of selecting and recruiting an employee

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2. Process of giving equal opportunities policy
3. Safeguarding the employee’s self-respect at work policy
4. Procedures of discipline and injustices
5. Procedures of the safety of the employee
6. Code of conduct
7. The procedure of managing the employee leaves
8. Policies for family
9. Retirement pay and pension policies (https://www.educba.com/human-
resource/courses/human-resource-course/)
10. Statutory policy

Policies that can be good for the organization:

1. Responsibilities of the board

2. Investment and reserve polices
3. Money laundering policies

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3/25/23, 11:08 AM HR Policies and Procedures | Ways to Write HR Policies & Procedures

y gp
4. Performance and appraisal procedures
5. Whistle blower policy
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EmployeeMail andhttps://www.educba.com/human-resource/human-resource-blog/employee-relations/
Relations( internet usage policy ) Entrep
resource/)
7. Expenses policy
8. Risk management policy (https://www.educba.com/risk-management-
process/)
9. Work flexibility policy (https://www.educba.com/how-to-ask-for-
flexible-working-hours/)
10. Career break policy (https://www.educba.com/career-planning-
strategies/)

How do you Write HR Policies and

Procedure?
Up till now, we have explained HR policies and procedures and their importance
in the smooth functioning of an organization. You now know the relevance of the
guidelines set by the set HR policies and procedure of any company. Well, if
creating one is one of your responsibilities today, then you will have to do it
perfectly as you wouldn’t want to go wrong with the most important information
document of the organization. Going wrong with the HR policies and the
procedure of the company might put you down in front of your seniors and
other colleagues.

This document can help you as a guide in helping you prepare an HR policy and
procedure for your organization.
1. Choose a suitable title for the policy
When you title HR policies, the title should be able to describe the basic content
of the policy. Choosing a relevant title is very important to create the policy and

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o t e po cy. C oos g a e e a t t t e s e y po ta t to c eate t e po cy a d

procedure of the company as it is the first step to developing suitable HR
policies. The title should help the employee in identifying, locating and referring
(https://www.educba.
to acom/human-
particular
Employee process. It should be able to answer a few questions for you. )
Relations( https://www.educba.com/human-resource/human-resource-blog/employee-relations/ Entrep
resource/)

1. Is the title describing the basic content of the policy?

2. Will the staff that is not familiar with the policy be able to understand the
title, and is the policy user-friendly?
3. Will the illustrations and keywords of the title assist the reader
appropriately?

2. Understand the motive behind writing a policy

You want to make sure that you address the most important need of the HR
policies, which means you would want to make sure that employees have access
to the answers to their questions easily and without any issues. Hence you need
to 1st understand the motive behind writing a policy for the employees of the
company.

The company’s intention and the HR need to be outlined in the policy very
clearly so that the reader or the employee has no hesitation in looking for the
same. This purpose needs to be considered as a road map to reach to their goals.

3. Use very simple and clear language

Very important, it is extremely important for the reader to understand what you
want to convey to them. Hence using simple and clear language is very

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3/25/23, 11:08 AM HR Policies and Procedures | Ways to Write HR Policies & Procedures

a t to co ey to t e . e ce us g s p e a d c ea a guage s e y
important while writing HR policies and its procedures. Be precise and make sure
you do not use jargons.
(https://www.educba.
com/human-
Employee Relations( https://www.educba.com/human-resource/human-resource-blog/employee-relations/ ) Entrep
4. Your policy and procedure should reflect the
resource/)

company’s image
Your policy statement should mention the rules and regulations and what
actions will be taken against the employees (https://www.educba.com/the-
new-rules-of-employee-engagement/) who disrespect or disobey the HR
policies and procedure by overlooking the same. The procedures should be
precise, and so should be the action taken against the employee who disobeys
them.

5. The HR policies need to have a very clear outline

Outlining means a clear demonstration of the HR policies in the procedures and
the guidelines. The procedure of following the policy needs to be mentioned in
steps and in order to serve as a guide for the audience. It should also state how
the policy will affect the organization and its reputation in the market.

1. The writer mentioned a sequence while writing the HR policies to make

reading and tracing the policy easy for the employees.
2. The step by step procedure will give the employees a start and an end to
execute along with the expected results.
3. The HR policies will highlight the consequences and disciplinary action that
will be taken against the employee in case the policy is overlooked.

6. Make the HR policies kind of user friendly

Policies and procedures are confusing if not addressed and written well. Even if
you are writing the HR policies, there might be similar or may be the same

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3/25/23, 11:08 AM HR Policies and Procedures | Ways to Write HR Policies & Procedures

you a e t gt e po c es, t e e g t be s a o ay be t e sa e
terminology used by different departments of the company.

(https://www.educba.
1.com/human-
Employee
The intentions of the content need to be clear to the reader
Relations( https://www.educba.com/human-resource/human-resource-blog/employee-relations/ ) Entrep
resource/)
2. Clarify statements with references
3. The tone that you write in must suit the organizational atmosphere.

7. Finalize your HR policy

1. Before you finalize your document, you need to read the document once or
maybe even twice to make sure it does not have errors or omissions that
need to be rectified.
2. Make sure you have clearly illustrated and clarifies your content
3. Your final draft will come on the 1st page with the date and the notes that
have been revised
4. Add the signature page

8. Check the same with a senior

Your content might be perfect as per you, for you are the one who has checked
the same; however, a third person with a good amount of experience can review
your content and give you feeds backs if required to improvise and illustrate
better. Getting your senior and your supervisor involved is a good idea as you
would not want to miss out on something very important on this very important
document of the company.

9. Review with the team and other staff

Before submitting the HR policies and procedure, you must share the document
with your team and the other staff members of the organization. Request them

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t you tea a d t e ot e sta e be s o t e o ga at o . equest t e

to help you with inputs regarding the defined policy if they have any. This will
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Employee before
Relations( submitting the document.
https://www.educba.com/human-resource/human-resource-blog/employee-relations/ ) Entrep
resource/)

10. Keep the policy flexible

Policies and procedures keep changing with time, with people and with
occasions. You need to make sure that the content you develop is flexible
enough to adapt to changes. There should be scope to write down changes and
alter the HR policies and procedure of the HR in the organization as and when
required by the organization.

Creating Good HR Policies

Before we get this topic to an end will brief about creating good policies.

1. A good policy is simple and plain written in jargon-free language

2. The policy should be linked to the strategies and morals of your
organization
3. The policy needs to be very flexible
4. A good policy should be able to adapt to changes as and when required
5. The policy should adapt to your organizational culture easily
6. The interested stakeholders should develop it
7. The development of a policy should also involve employees of the company
8. The policy needs to be communicated to all the employees of the company
as it is the HR policy.

Recommended Articles
Here are some articles that will help you to get more detail about the HR policies,
so just go through the link

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so just go through the link.

1. HR Management Trends (https://www.educba.com/hr-management-

(https://www.educba.
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Employeetrends/)
Relations( https://www.educba.com/human-resource/human-resource-blog/employee-relations/ ) Entrep
resource/)
2. Management Discussion and Analysis
(https://www.educba.com/management-discussion-and-analysis/)
3. HR Coordinator Work  (https://www.educba.com/hr-coordinator-
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4. HR Policies and Procedures (https://www.educba.com/hr-policies-and-
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