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Procedures have a bad reputation. Long, verbal, inefficient, etc. It’s no surprise that in this study‘It’s Worse than You Think: Poor Document Processes Lead to Significant Business Risk', the firmIDCfound that nearly40% say their processes are undocumented. The study also found that75.9% of companies have suffered severe business consequencesbecause of bad or non-existent documentation.
AtJITbase, we have a different mindset. What if procedures were efficient and easy to use? For us, a procedure must be:
- created quickly,
- easy to keep up-to-date,
- informative,
- standardized
- visual.
Why? Here are the 8 benefits of having good procedures.
1. Know what you have to do
This is the first use of a procedure: describe a job that needs to be done. To be the most efficient, keep it short, simple and visual.
2. Access information to quickly solve problems and reduce downtime
Procedures are useful when a quick response is needed for an uncommon situation. Downtimes on a production line can cost thousands of dollars each minute. It’s important to find the relevant information as fast as possible. Your DMS (Document Management System) has a key role. Cloud solutions are efficient and let you easily find document in seconds thanks to a search bar or tags.
3. Easily onboard new employees
Good procedures can be used as training content. Again, a short, simple and visual document will help a new employee to understand the work that has to be done.
4. Be in compliance with norms/certifications
Procedures are often mandatory. The ISO 9001 certification - the most common - is a good example. However, it becomes a hassle when your quality engineer has to work full-time updating documentation during the 2 months before the audit. Having quality procedures in a good management system takes away this pain.
5. Improve quality
Process standardization is the key to managing quality. Having clear procedures helps in this standardization. It also helps to track defects and to find the cause of a problem. While your process improves, the procedure must be updated as well and this is where a system likeJITbase, which allows employees to suggest improvements, becomes powerful.
6. Make sure everyone is on the same page
Having a “snapshot” of the current situation helps everyone know where the company is on a certain process. It becomes easier for the company to set goals and makes every employee move in the same direction.
7. Reduce risk & improve security
Procedures are a great way to signal dangers. They are the perfect place to mention what’s mandatory or forbidden while doing the job. It leads to less downtime, and even more importantly, it leads to fewer accidents and injuries. Again, it must be visual, using icons and photos.
8. Improve
A procedure allows for evaluating the current way a task is done. A task written down and shared among team members is easier to analyze and improve upon. A procedure should be a dynamic document, where employees collaborate and continuously propose improvements.
FAQs
A procedure helps people understand how to complete a policy. A policy lets employees know the guidelines behind how a company operates. A procedure offers details on how to do each action. Often, companies provide training on procedures so all staff members know how they work.
What are the benefits of having a procedure? ›
A procedure helps people understand how to complete a policy. A policy lets employees know the guidelines behind how a company operates. A procedure offers details on how to do each action. Often, companies provide training on procedures so all staff members know how they work.
What are the benefits of following procedures? ›
When employees follow procedures, they perform tasks correctly and provide consistent customer service. This enhances the quality of your organization's products and services. And, in turn, improves your company's reputation. Employees can know they are fulfilling their roles and take pride in their work.
What are the benefits of having a process? ›
Good processes provide a way to communicate and apply consistent standards and practices within the business, it helps the employees what needs to happen and creates a path for growth. Good processes save time and increase overall efficiency and take are built around the customer and users' needs.
Why is it important to have a procedure? ›
A procedure is a plan of action for your team.
It is a road map that will prevent them from wandering around or getting lost while trying to reach the goal. By using procedures in a company, you are promoting good practices and giving good examples.
What makes a procedure a good procedure? ›
Procedures should communicate what readers need to know, not just what they want to know. They might need to know how to do the process correctly, faster, or with less waste. They also might like to know why they have to do something a certain way, where they can go for help, and what happens if something goes wrong.
Why is a procedure useful? ›
A procedure is the plan of action, putting the policy into practice with an accurate road map to follow. A procedure is an efficient and clear set of marching orders; think of them as a checklist for action and related follow-through actions.
Why are procedures important? ›
They ensure compliance with laws and regulations, give guidance for decision-making, and streamline internal processes. However, policies and procedures won't do your organisation any good if they are written badly or your employees don't follow them. Employees don't always like the idea of having to follow the rules.
What is procedure and its advantages? ›
A procedure allows for evaluating the current way a task is done. A task written down and shared among team members is easier to analyze and improve upon. A procedure should be a dynamic document, where employees collaborate and continuously propose improvements.
What is a characteristic of a good procedure? ›
To be effective, procedures must be action oriented, grammatically correct, and written in a consistent style and format to ensure usability. These guidelines, along with industry “best practices” that are documented in auditable criteria, can be used .
These documented, step-by-step instructions for performing given tasks provide employees with everything they need to efficiently perform assignments without confusion, misinterpretation, or reinventing the proverbial wheel.
What are the 4 benefits of process approach? ›
Benefits of the Process approach:
It will give you transparency. It will bring significant gains in efficiency. It will provide you with consistent results. Your team will enjoy clarity and a feeling of ownership.
What are the benefits of procedure document? ›
Benefits of Technical Documentation for Policies, Procedures, and Processes
- Clarity in expected conduct and responsibilities of employees.
- Concrete documentation eliminates guesswork and minimizes out-of-role behavior.
- Establishes benchmarks that spur and promote consistency across employees in various roles.
Policies and procedures are important because they set a standard that every employee needs to follow. It is not only a manual that is created once and then is forgotten about. They are documents that need to be reviewed regularly to address new issues, laws or expectations.
What is the importance of process and procedure? ›
Consistency: Processes and procedures help to establish a consistent way of doing things across the business. This consistency is important for maintaining quality, meeting customer expectations, and ensuring that everyone in the organization is on the same page.
What is the importance of procedural? ›
Procedural law is critically important because it establishes how the court system works with regards to these rights of the individuals involved in criminal and civil cases.
What is a procedure and why do we need them? ›
A procedure is a method for completing something with steps and instructions for each aspect of the task. Procedures often stay consistent once they're established to maintain a general understanding of what employees should do in various circ*mstances.
Why is it important to have a procedure in place? ›
Having robust processes in place and documented helps a business to: Improve efficiency and eliminate duplication of work. Identify relevant and important tasks related to your business goals. Streamline communication and enhance transparency within the organization.
