Putting important company policies in writing makes good sense. It compels you to think about how you want your workplace to run and the things you want to emphasise, and it makes these rules and guidelines official so your employees know what you expect from them and what they can expect from the business.
While you don’t need a policy on absolutely every aspect of the company’s workings, there are some key policies you should have to provide information on responsibilities and rights in crucial areas.
The aim is for everyone to understand and adopt them, so keep them as simple as possible. These are the 3 policies every company should have written down and easily accessible (and up-to-date).
Work health and safety
Having a work health & safety (WHS) policy is all part of meeting your obligations to manage workplace risks and ensure your workers’ health & safety.
The policy should clearly describe how your workplace will be kept safe and healthy, the procedures necessary to achieve it, and what all your team members need to do.
This ensures you meet your legal requirements to share WHS information with workers, and that workers are engaged in WHS matters. It also helps reduce absenteeism, increase productivity, and gives your employees and customers confidence.
Bullying and harassment
Part of your obligation to keep workers safe and healthy is making sure your workplace is free from bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
A bullying and harassment policy should define and document how issues are reported and how the business will respond and seek to resolve them (by law, you must investigate and support the person affected).
Having an official policy sets the example of what is acceptable and clarifies the rights and obligations of employees and managers.
Code of conduct
Once you’ve covered the essential policies, you can develop a code of conduct that covers a range of general expectations for everyone in the business.
The scope of the code will be determined by the particulars of your business and doesn’t have to be complex, but should articulate the company’s values and align standards of professional behaviour with its principles and mission.
It should also cover key areas like the use of company assets, protecting confidential information, avoiding conflicts of interest, and complying with laws and regulations.
This post was originally written by BOMA and has been updated to make it more personal.
