The Importance of Reviewing Policies and Procedures - OneDigital | Resourcing Edge (2024)

While the core elements of policies and procedures may stay the same the details should change according to industry standards, organizational needs, or legal requirements. In addition, policies should line up with the company’s mission, vision, and values.

By partnering with a Professional Employer Organization, such asResourcing Edge, HR experts can help determine what policies and procedures will keep your company running smoothly and in compliance with employment laws. When you need updates, you can turn to your PEO for that expertise and assistance, so you can concentrate on the bottom line.

Why is it important to review policies and procedures?

• Outdated policies put your organization at risk.
• Old policies may be non-compliant with new laws and regulations.
• Ensures your policies are consistent and effective.
• Regular review keeps your organization up to date with regulations, technology, and industry best practices.

When to review policies and procedures?

• Don’t wait for an incident to occur before reviewing and updating policies.
• Best way is to build it into the corporate calendar with your PEO.
• Annual policy reviews, which HR specialists can help with, are a best practice.
• When your organization goes through large-scale changes.

Employment laws and regulations change constantly. For example, in 2018 nearly every state made legal changes to employment laws (The Lunt Group).And that doesn’t even account for federal changes. Compliance teams such as HR Services at Resourcing Edge can help because they are aware of these changes and know what polices they impact.

What to do after an incident or policy violation?

• An incident or policy violation can indicate the need for change.
  • After the incident – debrief to make sure the policy had the intended effect.
    • Determine if there are gaps in training or employee understanding of the policy
    • If there are gaps, this will help determine whether you need to revise the policy in question.
• Sometimes isolated incidents don’t require sweeping policy changes but additional training or remediation for the employees involved.
  • But if there are many incidents in the same policy area, the issue may be that the policy is outdated, confusing, or requires increased training.

How do you know when policies need to be updated?

• There is usually no need to change or rewrite your employee policy manual every year.
• Resourcing Edge HR Services professionals will help determine the following:
  • Is the policy being implemented as intended?
  • Is the policy having the desired effect?
  • Are the policies and procedures current and relevant?

By working with HR professionals at a PEO, you can make sure your training content matches the updated language and includes the correct procedures. In addition, a PEO can help conduct training on the new processes to ensure employees understand the new policies and procedures.

As you seek to keep your company’s policies current, let Resourcing Edge’s HR experts collaborate with your leadership team, make changes, and distribute new policies and train your employees.

Kimberly D. Gray is a Senior HR Services Partner at Resourcing Edge, who has 25 years of experience in employee relations, training, and compliance.