By Stephen Page
Policies and procedures communications is a no-brainer. Whether the policies and procedures writer is full-time or part-time, the best solution is for the policies and procedures writer to develop a communications plan, work with the users and management, and implement the plan. After all, it's the writer that did the research and worked with the users to develop the policy or procedure document. At least, this is the way writing should happen.
There are a number of companies with communications departments that believe that this department should do all communications and other departments such as the policies and procedures department should not be implementing a communication plan of any kind.
In this latter case, I find this simply to be wrong. The policies and procedures writer understands the content of the document and certainly understands the targeted audience better than a non-involved communications department. While the communications department can create company newsletters or put a message in a pay check, they can only do so with information fed by the writers of the policy or procedure documents.
Still another problem is that the communications department sees the documents written by the policies and procedures writer as a low priority and any revenue-producing project will have rights of press over a non-profit making department.
Summary: In my opinion, the best option is a combination of approaches. Permit the policies and procedures writer the ability to send out company email to all users and permit the writer the ability to do video training and require that certain groups take the training and possibility a test along with the information. At the same time, the policies and procedures writer should work closely with any formal communications department such that the targeted audience gets information from both sources.
While communication methods are not the focus of this article, I do recommend that you search the Internet for communication methods using keywords such as "policies and procedures communications" or "policies and procedures newsletters" or "online training methods." The Internet provides an amazing amount of material. Look for books on the subject or authors that offer complete chapters on communication methods and plans for writing policy or procedure documents.
Policies and procedures communications is a no-brainer. Whether the policies and procedures writer is full-time or part-time, the best solution is for the policies and procedures writer to develop a communications plan, work with the users and management, and implement the plan. After all, it's the writer that did the research and worked with the users to develop the policy or procedure document. At least, this is the way writing should happen.
There are a number of companies with communications departments that believe that this department should do all communications and other departments such as the policies and procedures department should not be implementing a communication plan of any kind.
In this latter case, I find this simply to be wrong. The policies and procedures writer understands the content of the document and certainly understands the targeted audience better than a non-involved communications department. While the communications department can create company newsletters or put a message in a pay check, they can only do so with information fed by the writers of the policy or procedure documents.
Still another problem is that the communications department sees the documents written by the policies and procedures writer as a low priority and any revenue-producing project will have rights of press over a non-profit making department.
Summary: In my opinion, the best option is a combination of approaches. Permit the policies and procedures writer the ability to send out company email to all users and permit the writer the ability to do video training and require that certain groups take the training and possibility a test along with the information. At the same time, the policies and procedures writer should work closely with any formal communications department such that the targeted audience gets information from both sources.
While communication methods are not the focus of this article, I do recommend that you search the Internet for communication methods using keywords such as "policies and procedures communications" or "policies and procedures newsletters" or "online training methods." The Internet provides an amazing amount of material. Look for books on the subject or authors that offer complete chapters on communication methods and plans for writing policy or procedure documents.
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