Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are the cornerstone of every successful business. They help standardize processes, prevent mistakes and curb waste by providing staff with structure and a clear path to follow. Without them, businesses can suffer from inconsistency, confusion and lack of control.
SOPs help establish the expectations of a business and outline job functions and responsibilities to specific standards to communicate procedural progress and growth. It is essential to have custom SOPs that are specific to your team and your business needs. Once established and followed, these SOPs can empower your team, increase efficiency and lay the foundation for seamless transitions as a business evolves.
Departmental Impact to Your Business
Operationally, every department in a business is dependent on the other. Each function of every business unit impacts the other. Proper execution of adequate SOPs is a form of communication that demonstrates each department is carrying out their prospective responsibilities and functions.
Administration, compliance, IT, operations, and business continuity teams are among the foremost beneficiaries of having written policies and procedures in place to prevent liability and potential loss.
In terms of written SOPs for business continuity and disaster recovery, every business plan should address step-by-step procedures and include action checklists with executable items for initiating and successfully executing the plan.
Once a written business continuity plan is in place, it must be tested and evaluated regularly to ensure the processes work to minimize the economic impact of a disruption to the business. The plan is a living document that must adapt as the business operations change and the company grows.
Five Critical Steps
Outsourced corporate counsel can draft and/or review SOPs for every department to protect your best interests. The process begins by discussing your goals, developing processes, and outlining the project’s overall scope. This helps our attorneys and legal team to learn about your business and collect relevant information to develop time-tested best practices specific to your unique needs.
The customization process for SOPs includes:
- Beginning with the end in mind. If you haven’t defined a preferred outcome, you can’t get where you want to be.
- Gathering information. Once a preferred outcome is defined, we ask relevant questions and apply attention to detail to help draft and implement appropriate policies and procedures.
- Identifying the audience. By definition, different departments have specialized needs, and it is important to align SOPs to the specific function or role.
- Writing, reviewing, and testing. This step reveals and addresses any gap in the SOPs.
- Training and maintenance. Employees must become familiar with SOPs specific to their individual roles. Set-it-and-forget-it doesn’t apply here. Ongoing vigilance is necessary in the form of regular reviews as business and market conditions evolve.
To learn more or for additional assistance with your SOPs, contact the team at Jacko Law Group, PC. Our team is well-versed in navigating various business models and industries to help achieve efficiency and your overall business objectives. Contact us at 619.298.2880 to schedule a consultation.