Preventative > Policy and Program Development


What is Policy and Program Development?
Policy and program development includes activities undertaken to formally document an organisation’s business and the expected policies, practices, procedures, attitudes, behaviours and other functions staff should adhere to on a day-to-day basis.

Effective and appropriate policies and procedures complement an organisation’s corporate culture, its vision, mission statements and business plan .

How does it work?
Development and ongoing monitoring of all organisational policies and procedures is essential in today’s business environment. New and ever changing federal and state government legislation makes it imperative that organisational directors and their managers remain up-to-date with new requirements. Essentially, organisations that are committed to abiding by legislation and to running productive, safe and positive enterprises must have effective policies and procedures in place.

Policies and procedures are compiled and written by either internal staff members, such as human resource managers and/or occupational health and safety officers, or by external professionals expert in the area of policy, procedure and program development. At ITIM, specialist consultants have extensive experience in the researching, writing, documenting, signing off and monitoring of a wide range of policies, procedures and program development in most industries.

When contracted to develop policies and procedures in specific areas for an organisation, ITIM appoints a specialist staff member most suited to the industry in which the organisation operates. The specialist will undertake a variety of steps. These include:

1. Meetings with key organisational people, such as the CEO, General Manager, Human Resource Manager and Occupational Health and Safety Manager, to ascertain a comprehensive understanding of the organisation. This step involves discussions and the reading of relevant documentation such as mission and vision statements, business plans and any existing policies and procedures.

2. Establishing a working relationship protocol with the client organisation. This step includes defining the overall outcome of the task and the protocols for communication with key personnel. ITIM is committed to a collaborative approach when working with all client organisations and individuals. This means that as far as possible staff working at all levels are involved in the process.

3. Canvassing existing policies to determine which ones need up-dating and to identify any gaps. ITIM staff are aware of relevant government regulations, trends and other changes that can adversely affect impact on organisations. This ensures all newly created policies and procedures comply with legislation. Every organisation and the way it functions is unique so a policy which may be appropriate in one organisation may not be relevant in another.

4. Formal sign-off of policies and procedures manual with the CEO / General Manager.

5. Dissemination of policies and procedures to staff. This stage may also require training of certain staff members and / or delivery of seminars to groups of staff.

6. Establishment of a review timetable. This generally occurs three months after promulgation of the policies at which time ITIM ensures staff are aware of and comfortable with the policies and procedures and that they complement the direction in which the organisation is headed.

Is it for You?
The creation, implementation and monitoring of organisational policies and procedures is essential for organisations that have reached a certain size or have recently undergone dramatic growth and need to consolidate.

Employers request the production and distribution of policies and procedures to:
- provide clarity of the types of tasks and behaviours that take place in an organisation
- assist human resource and occupational health and safety staff in their day-to-day duties
- ensure consistency within the business functions of the organisation
- provide staff with resources when they are unaware of how to respond or deal with certain workplace issues (eg grievance policy)
- enable managers to identify gaps in daily practices and to minimise any potential litigation
- provide a working document that complements the business plan and vision and mission statements
- reduce possible confusion and conflict among staff in regard to organisational practices
- provide staff with a formally documented and easy to understand resource guide

Employees request an organisation’s policy and procedure manual when they want to know:
- what is expected of them, such as which practices they should be following when undertaking certain tasks
- more about their roles and the organisation’s legal obligations
- about the organisation (eg induction process)
- what to do in the event of an unwelcome or unforeseen issue or challenge (eg sexual harassment encounter, workplace bullying, staff conflict).