Characteristics of good policies and why it matters (2024)

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Good policies can save your company a lot of time and money. We find that companies are not writing their policies correctly. We believe a good policy is respectful, clear and succinct.We specialise in writing and rewriting policies that adhere to these characteristics.Our policies aim to be:

• specific, relevant and applicable to the target audience
• inplain and understandable language so that they are easy to read and understand
• in line with the latest laws and rules
• clear on what the target audience can and cannot do
• well structured
• consistent so that they are easy to manage and implement
  
• short and to the point

Find out more about how we can help you with yourpolicies and procedures.

The benefits of good policies

• Promote and improve appropriate behaviour
• Manage activities
• Achieve consistency and efficiency
• Reduce organisational risk

What do good policies have in common?

Easy to read

In the fast-paced information economy in which we live, people are pressed for time and will generally only read things that are relevant to them. People only want to read things that apply to them. Policies should be written inplain language and focused on particular audiences (typically end-users, management and technical staff). Policies should only address issues relating to the target audience. Addressing a policy to multiple categories of readers makes it hard for the reader to find relevant information as they would have to sift through a lot of information.

They are issue-specific

It is preferable for policies to address specific issues defined by their purpose and the group that it wishes to address (often referred to as the “audience”). This results in greater focus being achieved and readers being required to read only what is relevant to them. Issue-specific policies are easier to rely on as opposed to bundled policies. A bundled policy contains too much information and will often include processes, standards procedures and other irrelevant information. This typically leads to policy documents becoming lengthy and difficult to rely on. If you have a short and succinct policy document supported by a separate process document, you will find it easier to rely on.

Easy to manage

When new issues arise, you want a policy that is easy to manage and update. A lengthy policy is difficult to update especially if it covers too many issues. Issue-specific policies are easier to update when new issues arise.

Easy to implement

It is easier to implement an issue-specific policy as opposed to a bundled or wide-ranging policy as you are able to convey key messages to a target audience faster. If you have a bundled or wide-ranging policy, you will find it challenging to implement a document your audience may not understand. This is part of having a good policy framework.

Easy to rely on in a court of law

In case of dismissal for misconduct under the Labour Relations Act of 1995, one of the considerations when considering whether a dismissal is unfair is “(a) whether or not the employee contravened a rule or standard regulating conduct … the rule was a valid or reasonable rule or standard … the employee was aware, or could reasonably be expected to have been aware, of the rule or standard … the rule or standard has been consistently applied by the employer“.

It is not possible to demonstrate the above requirements of “validity” or “reasonableness” if the relevant “rule or standard” is contained in a guideline (which is optional or non-mandatory) rather than an issue specific policy procedure or standard (which are mandatory).

Another issue, you may encounter is an employee may be able to raise the defence in a disciplinary enquiry that there was in fact no “rule or standard” as (if it is contained in the guidelines) the rule is merely optional and does not have to be followed.

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