Organizational Processes and Policies

 

Session Objectives:

-------------------

1. Understand Organizational processes and
2. policies
3. Know list of policies
4. Understand the importance of these policies

Organizational Processes and Policies refer to the rules, procedures, and practices that define the way work is done in an organization. These processes and policies ensure that the organization runs smoothly, all employees have clarity about what is expected from them, and the company is able to achieve its goals efficiently.

@ "Standards" means the defined criteria or benchmarks that ensure that each process, activity, or policy is implemented in a consistent and quality-driven way.

Example:- Quality Standards in manufacturing (ISO 9001) — Standardize guidelines for the manufacturing process so that product quality remains consistent.

@ "Procedure" means the specific steps or actions that are followed to complete a task or process.

Example:- Procedure for Handling Customer Complaints (Customer Service Procedure):

1. Acknowledge the Complaint
2. Understand the Issue
3. Investigate the Complaint
4. Resolve the Issue
5. Follow-up with the Customer
6. Record the Complaint

@ "Guidelines" A guideline is a kind of suggestion or direction given to handle a specific task, process, or decision-making effectively and correctly. Guidelines are typically not rules or regulations, but rather advice that provides a framework within which a task can be done well.

1. Rules are strict and mandatory. If you do not follow the rules, you may have to face penalties or consequences. Example: "No smoking in the office premises."
2. Guidelines are suggestive, and following them is voluntary. If you follow the guidelines, you get better results, but if you don't, there is no strict penalty. Example: "It is recommended to arrive at least 15 minutes before the meeting starts."

@ "Regulations" The goal of regulations is to protect society, the economy, and the environment, and to provide boundaries for businesses and individuals to operate fairly. Regulation is a formal rule or set of rules that governs a specific area, industry, or activity. It is a structured framework of laws, rules, and guidelines that ensures that any action or activity is properly and legally executed.

Example: Minimum wage laws, working hour restrictions, employee benefits regulations. Fire safety regulations, workplace accident prevention rules, food safety standards.

@ "Policies" The main purpose of policies is to ensure that every employee gets fair and equal treatment. They provide clear guidelines to every employee on what is expected from them and how they should behave.

Example: "Employees must notify their supervisor at least 24 hours in advance if they need to take leave."

@ "Management" is the process in the workplace in which the organization's resources—such as people, time, money, and materials—are effectively and efficiently coordinated and controlled so that the organization can achieve its goals and objectives.

Example: If a company starts a new project, they assign appropriate team members for the project and provide them the required resources (budget, tools, etc.).

@ "The implementation" process ensures that the decisions and plans taken by the management are successfully implemented in the actual work environment.

@ "Constraints" are limits or boundaries that control resources, time, budget, policies, or some other aspect and create challenges in completing the work efficiently.

Example: If a company needs to implement new software but has a limited budget, it may have to ignore the advanced features of the software or choose a cheaper alternative.

Contents of Policies and Procedures:-

-------------------------------------

@ "The organizational policy" is a statement of principles, rules, and guidelines which the organization follows in order to achieve a desired outcome. The policy is a set of general guidelines which outline the organization’s plan for tackling an issue. It exists to communicate the organizational point of view to its employees and to ensure that actions carried out at the organization take place within the defined boundaries of the policies and procedure. Policies and procedures communicate the connection between the organization’s vision and values and its day-to-day operations.

@ "A procedure" explains a specific action plan for carrying out a policy. It is a set of actions which an employee takes to complete an activity within the confines of an organizational policy. It exists as a reference for employees to understand their roles and responsibilities. Procedures tell employees how to deal with a situation and when. Using policies and procedures together gives employees a well-rounded view of the organization.

Example of "Policies":-

-----------------------

1. "Employee Leave Policy", "Data Privacy Policy"
2. "This policy aims to provide guidelines for employees requesting leave, ensuring fair and consistent handling of leave requests across the organization."
3. "This policy applies to all full-time employees in the Sales and Marketing departments."
4. "Sick Leave: Leave taken when an employee is unable to work due to illness."
5. "Employees are entitled to 12 days of paid sick leave per calendar year."
6. "HR is responsible for tracking employee leave balances. Managers must approve leave requests in advance."
7. "This policy complies with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)."
8. "Employees must submit a leave request at least two weeks in advance for planned leave."
9. "HR will conduct quarterly audits of leave records to ensure compliance with the policy."
10. "Employees with medical conditions may request an extension of sick leave with proper documentation."
11. "This policy will be reviewed every two years to ensure it remains aligned with the latest labor laws."

Example of "Procedure":-

------------------------

1. "Leave Request Procedure", "Employee Onboarding Procedure"
2. "This procedure outlines the steps employees must follow to request sick leave."
3. "This procedure applies to all employees of the organization who need to request leave."
4. "Employee fills out the leave request form available on the HR portal."
5. "Manager reviews the request and either approves or denies it."
6. "HR updates the leave balance and confirms the approval with the employee."
7. "HR is responsible for maintaining leave records. The employee is responsible for submitting the request on time."
8. "Leave requests must be submitted at least 7 days before the planned leave date."
9. "The Employee Leave Request Form must be submitted through the HR portal."
10. "This procedure complies with the organization's Paid Time Off (PTO) policy."
11. "If an employee is unable to submit the leave request form online, they can email the request to HR."
12. "This procedure will be reviewed annually to ensure it aligns with updated company policies."

Organizational processes and policies:-

---------------------------------------

@ "Human Resources Policies" are the guidelines and rules that manage the behavior, rights, responsibilities, and welfare of employees through the organization's Human Resources (HR) department. These policies regulate company values, legal requirements, and employee relations.

Example:-

1. Job descriptions and qualifications
2. Selection process (interviews, tests)
3. Equal opportunity in hiring
4. Background checks and references
5. Salary structure and pay grades
6. Overtime and bonus policies
7. Employee benefits (health insurance, pension schemes, etc.)
8. Compensation review and adjustment procedures
9. Paid and unpaid leave entitlements
10. Sick leave and medical leave
11. Maternity/Paternity leave policies
12. Maternity/Paternity leave policies
13. Promotion and salary increments based on performance
14. Types of misconduct (attendance issues, poor performance, insubordination)

• Dress Code Policy
• Leave Policy
• Rewards & Recognition Policy
• Business Travel Policy
• Claim Reimbursement Policy
• Performance Management Policy
• Salary Advance Policy
• Time & Attendance Policy
• Timesheet Management Policy

 @ "Code of Conduct" The main purpose of the Code of Conduct is to clarify the values, principles, and expectations of the organization. This ensures that employees give a positive image not only to themselves but also to the organization through their actions.

1. Employees should also safeguard the personal information of their colleagues or clients.
2. If an employee is involving his family members in a business deal, which is not beneficial for the company.
3. The company's email system should be used only for professional communications, not for personal emails.

@ "Information Security Policy" is a document that defines rules and guidelines for the protection and security of information within an organization. Its main goal is to protect the organization's sensitive data and information from unauthorized access, misuse, disclosure, modification, destruction, or loss.

• "Data Retention Policy is a document that defines how long an organization should store its data, and how to delete or archive that data after that. Its main purpose is to ensure that the organization manages the data according to its legal, regulatory, and business requirements, and safely removes unnecessary and outdated data."

@ "Health and Safety Policies" mean the rules and guidelines made by an organization or company, which are prepared to maintain the safety and health of the people working there.

1. No one should be hurt during work.
2. No illness or accident should occur at the workplace.
3. Correct action should be taken in emergency situations (such as fire, machinery failure).
4. Workers should be informed about their rights and responsibilities.

@ "IT and Data Usage Policies" refer to the rules and guidelines that are made for the proper and secure use of IT systems (such as computers, networks, emails, internet) and data (such as customer records, employee data, confidential files) in an organization.

1. Protect data from unauthorized access.
2. Ensure that IT resources are not misused.
3. Protection from cybersecurity threats (virus, hacking, phishing).
4. Enforcement of legal compliance (such as Data Protection Laws).

@ "Financial and Accounting Policies" mean the rules and guidelines that are made to ensure proper management of financial transactions, accounting, and financial reporting in any organization. Their purpose is to make the company's financial system transparent, accurate, and legally compliant.

1. All transactions should be recorded in a proper manner.
2. Records have to be stored for a minimum of 7 years (as per audit/law requirements).
3. It is necessary to get approval before any expense or payment.
4. There are internal checks to prevent fraud, error, or misuse of funds.
5. Clearance from senior authority has to be taken for high-value transactions.

@ "Compliance policies" are official rules and guidelines that ensure that a company or organization complies with legal, regulatory, and ethical standards.These policies ensure that the organization:

1. Acts in accordance with government laws (laws)
2. industry regulations
3. internal company rules

@ "Remote Work and Flexible Policies" refer to official rules and guidelines that give employees of an organization the option to work from home (remote work) or have flexibility in their work — while maintaining productivity and accountability.

These policies are in great demand these days in IT, tech, education, and creative industries, especially after COVID-19.

• Total working hours (eg. 8 hrs/day) must be completed, but timing can be a little flexible.