Consistency is Key: Why You Need a Desk Procedures Manual

Your Quantum Leadership Lesson: Using Desk Procedure / Standard Operating Manuals

Having a desk procedures manual, often called standard operating procedures or a training manual, is essential to assure that the job gets done right every time and that nothing slips through the cracks.

For small to mid-size employers that often face high turnover, it’s especially important that each position in the company has an up-to-date desk procedure manual, and that employees are sufficiently cross-trained.

If an employee leaves the company or is out for a period of time due to illness or vacation, another person can easily step in and do the job.

Think of Panera Bread or any of the other big food chains. No matter which location you visit, you enjoy the same experience and quality, and the items are always made exactly the same way. That doesn’t happen by accident; they have strict procedures that must be followed.

Their brand and their success depend on it. Your business is the same – even if you offer something entirely different.

Each employee should prepare a manual by writing out what they do in detail. For instance, a payroll clerk would list how s/he gathers the records for how many hours each person worked. This employee would include steps and a picture of the document used, with a screen shot of each panel in the payroll system used to enter the information.

It’s not enough just to have a soft and/or hard copy of the manual. Employees need to watch and learn. The employee who will most likely fill in for the person who prepared the document should watch the regular employee doing the job while following along in the desk manual.

The “fill-in” employee will probably have some questions and catch some missing pieces, and then the manual can be updated. Once that’s done, the “fill-in” employee will do the job while the employee who wrote the manual observes.

This will ensure that anything confusing can be clarified and the desk manual can be updated again if needed.

Don’t let updates slide! It’s easy to get busy with day-to-day tasks and put off these types of documentation, but you need to keep the manual current. Plan to review documents annually or whenever you make a significant change to the process.

Employees want to do the job right and they don’t want to make mistakes. A desk procedures manual helps employees do things correctly and keeps your business running efficiently. Give your customers the quality products and customer service they expect – regardless of who is doing the job.

Does your business have a desk procedures manual or is it time to create one? Leave a comment below.