Top Employer Corporate Policies

Creating Standard Operating Procedures for Employers of Choice

Sep 27, 2008

Corporate policies and procedures need to reflect the diverse needs of the workforce. Flexible and innovative policies attract the best and the brightest talent.

Employees feel appreciated and understood when corporate policies and standard operating procedures go beyond preaching corporate values and demonstrate a respect for the strains of creating a work and life balance.

HR Policies and Procedures

Consistent and fair policies– well documented HR and other policies that are consistently practiced instills trust and security with employees.

Recognition programs – recognizing employee achievements in a formal, overt way can go a long way to encourage employees to stay loyal and understand what top performance looks like.

Ease the dress code – if you haven’t created a casual Friday policy, rethink that. One day a week that the suit can stay in the closet, can really make a difference to moral, especially at the end of a long work week.

Structured, regular performance reviews – many companies and organizations fail to realize that performance reviews do far more than create extra paper work for files. Performance reviews help employees grow and develop, understand the expectations of their supervisor and provide clear direction for professional goal setting. Companies without structured performance reviews run the risk of stagnating employee development.

Flex time– balancing the demands of work and family can be easier with the allowance of personal days when needed.

Flexible benefits – some companies are now opting for a more flexible benefits plan to meet the growing needs of a very diverse staff pool such as a lump sum that can be used towards health benefits that the employee chooses.

Operational Procedures

Think tanks, suggestion boxes and other innovation tools - Google allows their engineers to work 20% of their time on personal projects (Google recruitment video). Talk about innovative! Other companies plan regular think tank meetings and/or provide meeting space designed for creative brainstorming with large white boards, built in computers, projectors or a smart board.

Environmentally sound practices – companies that partake in green initiatives are seen as progressive and responsible. Many employees see environmental issues as critical and vote with their feet if the company is seen as wasteful.

Charitable support and/or time off to volunteer– many companies see that the way to demonstrate corporate responsibility is to donate the time and energy of staff to worthy causes. Employees appreciate the ability to use company time to give back.

Learning and Development

Professional development-whether the professional development is part of a comprehensive on site training program or the reimbursement of off site training expenses, flexible professional development options keep employees engaged, learning and growing.

According to Oprah’s researchers, Google receives more than 1300 resumes a day so they must be doing something right. They have spared no expense to attract and keep the best and the brightest.

The copyright of the article Top Employer Corporate Policies in Leadership Training is owned by Joni Rose. Permission to republish Top Employer Corporate Policies in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.