FREE How to Write a Standard Operating Procedure? [ Purpose, Procedures, Tips ]

When writing a standard operating procedure, it is important to take note of the uses of SOP such as that it is the means of informing the employees on what to do when a certain situation has arisen. This manual usually contains sample situations where the employee will most likely be involved in at some point.

The importance of writing a standard operating procedure is that it serves as the employees’ emergency handbook when it comes to situations they are not prepared to handle. This is useful in terms of allowing the employees to be able to accept responsibilities that are normally not their own.

What Is the Purpose of a Standard Operating Procedure?

A standard operating procedure’s main purpose is to set a certain countermeasure for certain situations, a form of guidelines if you will. It can teach the employees how to react to a certain scenario in which would benefit the company the most. In short, it’s a set of useful tips and instructions for the employee. As an employer, the standard operating procedures can also help prevent certain issues such as destruction of certain pieces of equipment or the exposure of toxic chemicals to their employees. In terms of format, it would be best if you search for our Sample SOP Templates for easier understandings and reference.

What Is a Standard Operations Procedures Manual?

A standard operations procedure manual, or more commonly known a standard operating procedure manual, is a set of rules in which the objective or the purpose of such a manual is to allow employees to reach a certain standard in their performance charts and to increase their independence when working with certain aspects of the business they are yet to experience. Manuals have certain formats; however, an SOP format template can be used as a reference when making your standard operating procedures manual.

Tips for When You Are Formatting Your Own Standard Operating Procedure

When preparing an SOP format you must remember that your standard operating procedures that you’re making for your small business will be the deciding factor of how your employees will react to a certain situation. After all, it is an outline of the guidelines they must follow when performing their tasks. You have two choices when making a standard operating procedure. Those choices are to use one of our free SOP templates or you can design your own template by following the instructions below:

• List down every possible scenario that will happen when your employees will work for you.
• After listing down every possible threat, identify countermeasures as to how to either prevent or stop that scenario from happening.
• When listing all possible countermeasures, make sure that those countermeasures are within the employee’s capabilities—in short, be realistic.

 

Formatting your own standard operating procedures can be quite challenging; however, the rewards are worth it. By rewards, it is just a metaphor to what you could prevent. In most cases, if an improper standard operating procedure is in place, it will cause the situation to worsen. However, a properly made standard operating procedure can reduce the overall negative feedback.