Policies are a great way to keep an organization sailing smoothly.

With a set of

well-written procedures, teams can achieve their goals without any problems.

Policy Definition & Meaning

A policy is a course of action that is used or proposed by a business, government, or

person.

This means it is used by these organizations (or people) to guide themselves before

making a decision.

What Is a Policy?

A policy is a set of procedures that provide instruction on how to respond to certain

issues and situations. This is commonly used in a lot of companies and organizations

that deal with all sorts of people. A policy is helpful in providing people with guidelines

for making decisions.

10 Types of Policy

Company Policy

Company policies are a set of rules and guidelines adopted by a business. This is to

provide guidance on how to deal with employees, office operations, and clients.

Whatever the company is be it a small business or a security firm, these company

policies are tailored for the user's needs.

Corporate Policy
Things like attendance, workplace procedures, confidentiality, and copyright backups,

need to be properly managed. With a corporate policy, you can write a manual on how to

get all these done with a set of actions. This will keep your corporate setting in control.
Employee Policy
An employee policy is set in place to help the workplace run smoothly. Details like

return from leave, change in shift, and healthcare benefits are a part of the content. With

these policy statements, safeguarding your employee's interests will be an easy task.
Expense Policy
It is very important to have rules when it comes to expenses. Businesses and

organizations make use of expense policies to ensure their money is properly used.

These policies also tend to have updates as time goes by to keep up with the changes in

finances.
HR Policy
HR policies refer to the actions and rules that a company's HR department takes in

dealing with certain situations. Its content is quite similar to most corporate and

business policies. The key difference is that it focuses more on the employees and staff

within the organization.

Freelancer Policy
Some workers are not connected to an organization but work for themselves. This is why

it is vital for them to make use of a freelancer policy. With it, they can make a set of

policies that can help guide their decisions while doing freelance work.
Leave Policy
A leave policy is typically used in workplace settings. They might provide rules on how

to do leave and may detail the consequences of taking sudden leaves at work. All of this

is to ensure that productivity and attendance are properly recorded by the

administration group at the office.

Privacy Policy
Whether it is for online or physical security, a privacy policy ensures that users have

protection. Its content provides instructions and information to encourage privacy

practices. Lots of businesses and corporate organizations install this policy to ensure

privacy.
Overtime Policy
Overtime policy refers to the rules and regulations involving more workload past office

hours. Businesses add this policy to ensure employees are properly compensated for

putting in more work. The layout and format of overtime policy documents would vary

from one workplace to another.

Restaurant Policy
To pass health and safety checks, the food service industry would create a restaurant

policy. These types of policies help guide servers and other workers to make sure they

provide quality dishes and good customer service. Their policies may also detail other

things such as reservations and cancellations.

Policy Uses, Purpose, Importance

Policies provide organizations with procedures and guidance on how to approach

certain issues and situations. Not only that but they help define the goals and purposes

of the company/business.

To Provide Guidance

It is important to have a source of guidance when making decisions. Policies provide

guidance to the company that uses them. That way they will know what actions to take

during certain situations.

To Give Accountability

Having companies take account of their actions makes them trustworthy. Having a

policy enables a company to be responsible for its operations. This means tasks get done

and the right people are doing their job.

Provides Clarity

Policies make it clear what the company does. This allows employees and departments

to understand the work they are doing. Which in turn lets them focus on their tasks

efficiently.

To Give Consistency

Knowing what a company does consistently makes them easy to work with. Policies

provide the guidelines which will inform the goals and the jobs being done. Policies also
help with identifying any inconsistencies in operations, allowing them to correct

mistakes in time. And that is how policies give consistency.

To Shape Decisions

Policies determine the goals of the company. So whatever decisions the company makes

it is in service of the policies established. This is how policies shape decisions made by a

business/organization.

What’s in a Policy? Parts?

The Header Block

The header block is located at the beginning of the policy details. It serves as the title

and helps readers know what exactly they are going to read about.

Definitions

Policies tend to use a lot of technical terms. Definitions are provided so readers can have

a definite understanding of what is being discussed in the content.

Policy Statements

The 'meat' of the content so to speak. Policy statements provide information on what

exactly the policies are.

Processes
Processes refer to the actions involving the policy. They are sometimes called

procedures and they allow the readers to know what to do exactly for any given

situation.

How to Design a Policy

1. Choose a Policy Size.

2. Decide the purpose of the policy.

3. Select the Policy Template.

4. Choose the layout of your policy.

5. Add the details in a clear manner.

6. Finalize the content and download it.

Policy vs. Program

A policy refers to a system of guidelines used by organizations and individuals to help

them make certain decisions for any situation.

A program refers to a set of activities that will take place for a specific period of time.

What's the Difference Between Policy, Order, and

Plan?
A policy is a set of rules and guidelines used by organizations to guide them through

certain situations.

An order is either an instruction or a request for a specific work/job.

A plan refers to a set of actions that need to be done to achieve certain goals and results.

Policy Sizes

Policy sizes can vary depending on where it is used. There are multiple sizes that are

commonly used to create specific kinds of policies.

● Letter - 8.5" × 11"

● Legal - 8.5" × 14"

Policy Ideas & Examples

There are different types of policies used for different situations. Observe the different

policy ideas and examples that are commonly used in business and personal endeavors.

● Policy Ideas and Examples

● Safety Policy Ideas and Examples

● Security Policy Ideas and Examples

● Ideas and Examples for IT and Software Policy

● Travel Policy Ideas and Examples

● University Policy Ideas and Examples

● Website Policy Ideas and Examples

 ● Policy Ideas and Examples for Small Business

● Workplace Policy Tips, Ideas, and Examples

● School Policy-Making Ideas and Examples

● Attendance Policy Ideas and Examples

FAQs

How do you make policies for your organization?

You make policies based on the organization's goals, values, and brand.

What should be written in a policy?

Policies should have clear and understandable instructions so that readers can have an

easy time following them.

How do I create a policy brief using Word?

To create a policy brief in Word, you can add your policy's content and then use the

features to edit the layout as appropriate for a policy.

What is a company policy?

A company policy refers to the procedures and actions that companies take to reach

their goals.

How do you make a security policy?

You can make a security policy by making rules and procedures that promote the

security of your organization.

Name three of the basic HR policies.

Three HR policies that are a must includes the Timekeeping and Pay Policy, Safety and

Health Policy, and the Leave and Time-Off Benefits Policy.

What is the purpose of employee workplace policies?

The purpose of employee workplace policies is to maintain a good workplace

environment and encourage employees to get along with each other.

How to write a fair cancellation policy for your business

To write a Fair Cancellation Policy, you should assess the kind of work you do and what

exact procedures can help you benefit from this type of policy.

What do policy and procedures mean?

Policy and procedures mean a set of guidelines used by an organization or individual for

a specific situation.

How often should I update my customer service policy?

You should update your customer service policy as many times as you can so it can cater

to the changing demands of customers in the future.