Importance Of Human Resource Policies And Procedures

The importance of human resource policies and procedures is usually argued from risk. There is a more ordinary case that managers feel more directly.

Without them, every situation is decided from scratch. A leave request in unusual circumstances. Whether a expense is reasonable. What to do about a complaint that seems minor. Each manager works it out alone, differently, and often slowly.

That costs time, and it produces inconsistency that staff notice and compare.

A clear policy removes the decision. The manager applies a position the organisation has already taken, which is faster, defensible and identical across teams.

The test of whether a policy is working is whether a manager can find the answer on their own, quickly, without having to ask anybody at all.

The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes guidance for employers. This is general information rather than legal advice, and obligations vary by state and territory.

See Sentrient’s HR policy templates and HR management system.