How to Structure your HR Policy

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How to structure an HR policyHow to structure an HR policy

A policy is a formal statement laying down rules that staff members must adhere to. This
differs from procedures which are step-by-step instructions for carrying out that policy.
A good HR policy should leave employees and employers clear on where they stand, so
they must be fair, organised, consistent and protected by law.
The employee is likely to judge their first few days with a new organisation on the policies
that they read. This includes the fairness that they reflect and the professionalism that
comes from how they are structured and worded.
How to structure your HR policy

Examples of the most commonly mentioned issues, and thus requiring policies, are:

Probationary periods

Holiday entitlement

Hours of work

Termination

Overtime

Performance management
What an HR policy covers

What every policy should contain
All of the HR issues should be covered in separate policies that all contain the
following:

Policy name/heading

Clear purpose of the policy

Effective date of the policy and date of any revisions

Main policy statement

Explanation of which members are covered by the policy

Those roles responsible for implementing and updating the policy

Developing your HR policy
To structure the policy precisely, make sure that:

It is logically divided into numbered sections

Pages are numbered with the total number of pages provided, e.g. page 2
of 8

Policy and section name are clear on each page

Current and relevant issues are addressed

The language is easy to understand and consistent throughout

Special key words are defined

Sentences are short and to the point

The content reflects fairness and no room for ambiguity

It complies with employment legislation

Every organisation will vary in how it gets the final approval it requires to make a
policy accessible to an employee.
Drafting a policy for the first time should take into account any revisions of date
and sign-offs. This will make the approval process for the final document much
simpler.
Ensure that it is circulated amongst colleagues and build in a formal procedure to
get the final draft agreed, such as getting approval from your board of directors.
Finalising your HR policy

The approach for structuring a HR policy should be professional. It should take
into account all the points covered above.
Don’t confuse writing a policy (statement of rules) with writing procedures (step-
by-step instructions)
How the final policy reads could mean the difference between keeping and
losing a new employee in that essential probationary period or further down the
line.
Conclusion

The simplest way to a perfect HR policy is to call in a
professional policy writing company.
Contact Words Worth Reading ltd now for further
information:
+44 (0)1206 266766
08:00 - 18:00,
7 days a week

How to Structure your HR Policy

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