Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing a Policy Management System

Any step by step guide to implementing a policy management system that begins with configuration skips the part that takes longest.

One. Inventory what exists. Every policy, wherever it lives, including the ones only one site uses.

Two. Decide what to keep, what to merge and what to retire. Most organisations find duplicates and outright contradictions at this step.

Three. Name an owner and a review date for each survivor.

Four. Decide who must acknowledge what, which is rarely everybody for everything.

Five. Load, issue and acknowledge, in groups rather than all at once.

Six. Chase non-completion and record the chase.

Steps one to three are the actual project, and they take longer than anybody plans for. The software is what makes steps four to six repeatable afterwards.

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

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