How To Get Your Employees To Implement Any New Policy

Definition:
in·san·i·ty [in sánnətee]

[NOUN]

1. Lack of reason, or an act of doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.

 

When you realize it’s time to make a change because something is not working it may be too late!!!  Or is it better later than never.   How about I just tell you?

Policies at a startup business may sound trivial but they will get people to comply and are not as strict as rules .  You want results. Period.  Especially if you are working with people or managing them.  Heck, you can be running solo but eventually you’ll outsource some of the workload.  If some task gets questioned I certainly encourage receiving suggestions, but you’ll be glad when you have polices set in place once your business is up-and-running.

Here are the steps to implement a new policy or change an existing one:

1. Get your team involved throughout the process so they can share the feelings of change.

To justify this you will have to tell them why the current policy isn’t working or why you need to make one.  If it has to do with sales, show charts of stagnant sales.  If it’s buggy code, show customer feedback emails or record angry calls from technical support.  Even for the one-man shop, say to yourself “I’ll be more productive and motivated when I see my policy on the wall.”

2. Have a meeting to generate solutions.

Set a specific time to hold a meeting and discuss everyone’s suggestions (not thoughts) on the policy.  You don’t want thoughts because someone may dislike the reason for the policy.  “Suggestions” is a better word because even the haters will have to comply but feel involved because they can offer an alternative.  Microprocessors, research your competition even if you have to cold call and ask indirectly.

 3. Pick the best solution and have your top talent test it out.

After your meeting, pick the solution that works for you and is favored among the team.  Select your top employee or producer to execute the procedure.  He or she is most likely to implement it effectively and will have the greatest influence on peers.

4. Document the testing process of policy with a deadline.

Have your employee write the specific steps to take for the policy and time duration for each step.  Make sure you assign this task when the person is not busy or their workload is around 50%.  That way they won’t compromise their efforts during stress.

5. Demonstrate the policy with role playing.

Once you verify the policy works or at least achieves different results than previously, set a meeting for role-play with your staff.  If it’s a technical issue or small computer process then have a projector presentation (and pizza).  Role playing would be used if your policy involves clients or customers, so an employee would play the role of that (pizza here too).

6. Monitor, Analyze, and Reward

If the policy is a ball breaker or a big deal, you want to thank your employees for complying.  Follow-up by asking for emails, screenshots, or verbal responses about results from staff.  No need to have another boring meeting for this.  Reward individuals accordingly with revenue increases.  I don’t recommend candy for health reasons, so give out partially useful company branded gifts, lunches, and cash bonuses.