Distributing New Policies

Distributing New Policies. When a policy or policy manual has been approved it is time to distribute the document. You can do this either as a printed document or via electronic distribution (email or Web site).

Series Content:

Chapter 1: Why Develop a Policy Manual
Chapter 2: Getting Started
Chapter 3: Writing Policies and the Approval Process
Chapter 4: Distributing New Policies

Printed Manual

The printed manual must be made available to all employees of the organization for its full value to be realized. Many organizations provide staff with a policy manual in a binder of some type. One common type of binder is the loose-leaf. The loose-leaf, also known as the standard ring binder makes it easy to insert new policies and replace ones that have been revised.

Whether you choose to use a binder or some other means to contain the documents of your policy manual, you should develop a procedure for distribution of new policies. Usually a distribution memo or letter should accompany new policies (or a new manual). The letter or memo (or in the case of electronic distribution an email
message) should contain a summary of what is being distributed (i.e., revised policy, new policy, new table of contents, or new manual).

Another way of introducing a new policy or policy manual is through a bulletin or newsletter. A bulletin is an official communication medium of the organization used to communicate items of general interest. Bulletins can be posted on bulletin boards or can be mailed to each employee. An organizational newsletter can also announce and summarize a new policy or policy manual.

Electronic Distribution of Policies

Policies can also be distributed electronically. Since email is so prevalent in organizations, it makes sense that most electronic distributions of policies begin with an email message. Here are some examples:

§ An email to all employees announcing a new policy.
§ An email with a link to a web site announcing a new policy or online policy manual.
§ An email with an attached Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF document containing an entire policy manual or supplements to an existing manual.

(Portable Document Format) was created by Adobe as a standard way to view documents regardless of what software or hardware platform the reader is working with. PDF has quickly become an Internet default – documents on web pages are often uploaded as PDF documents, which can be viewed from the browser window, using free Adobe Acrobat technology (Acrobat Reader).The advantages of electronic distribution:

§ No cost for paper, printing, or physical (mail or interoffice mail)
distribution.
§ Shorter publishing cycle. You can put a manual up on the web much faster than distributing a printed manual to all staff.

§ Search and hypertext capabilities

In Another wise

Training employees in the area of policy is very important. Making the policy manual available to staff is a starting point but it is not enough. To help staff to fully understand policies, they may need to see and hear a presentation – an interactive experience that goes beyond the document, email, and PDFs. PowerPoint presentations that help explain new or complex policies can be quite helpful.

Source: OfficeReady Policy Manual

Business Development

Distributing New Policies – Final Chapter