Development of policy is a crucial part of any organization’s success. Policies are guidelines that are established to provide directions to the members of the organization to accomplish the mission and goals of the organization. Policies provide a framework for the organization’s operations, decision-making, and management. Effective policies ensure that an organization operates with consistency, transparency, and accountability.
Policies are critical to the functioning of an organization. They guide the activities of employees, managers, and members of the organization. Policy development help to ensure that everyone within the organization is aware of what is expected of them and what procedures they need to follow. The development of policies is critical for several reasons:
Enhancing Compliance: Policies provide procedures and guidelines that the employees need to follow. They ensure that the organization is operating within the stipulated laws, rules, and regulations. Failure to comply with these stipulations can result in legal and other penalties for the organization.
Consistency: Policies ensure that the organization operates in a consistent manner. This consistency is critical in providing a predictable environment and expectations for the employees and the public.
Accountability: Policies help to establish accountability within an organization. Policies provide a chain of command and decision-making processes that ensure that everyone is accountable for their actions.
Preventing Conflicts: Policies help to prevent conflicts within the organization. Policies provide a framework of expectations, procedures, and decision-making processes that prevent misunderstandings and disputes.
Process of Policy Development
Identify Policy Objectives: The first step in policy development is to identify the objective of the policy. The objectives of the policy should be in line with the mission, goals, and values of the organization. It is important to have specified, achievable or attainable, accurate, and time-bound.
Research: The next step is research. Research involves gathering information on the policy issue, the current situation, the stakeholders, and the legal and regulatory frameworks that are relevant to the policy.
Consultation: Consultation is a critical part of the policy process. Consultation involves engaging stakeholders, experts, and affected parties to gather insights, opinions, and feedback on the proposed policy. Consultation helps to ensure that the policy reflects the views and needs of all relevant parties.
Drafting Policy: Based on the research and consultation, the next step is drafting the policy. The policy should be clear, concise, specific, and easy to understand. The policy should include the purpose, scope, objectives, procedures, and roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders.
Review: Once the policy has been drafted, it should be reviewed by relevant parties, such as legal experts, senior management, and stakeholders. The review process helps to ensure the policy is consistent with the organization’s goals, values, and legal and regulatory frameworks.
Approval: After review, the policy is presented for approval by the relevant authorities or the board of directors. The approval process ensures the policy meets the standards and requirements of the organization.
Implementation: Once the policy has been approved, it is implemented. The implementation process involves communicating the policy to all relevant stakeholders and ensuring that they understand their roles and responsibilities. The implementation process may also involve training and education to ensure that everyone is aware of the policy.
Review and Evaluation: The final step in the development of policy is to review and evaluate the policy. The review process helps to assess the effectiveness of the policy and its impact on the organization. Evaluation helps to identify areas of improvement and to revise the policy if necessary.
Policy development is critical for an organization’s success. Policies provide guidelines, procedures, and decision-making processes that ensure the organization operates effectively, transparently, and accountable. The development process of policy involves several steps, including identifying policy objectives, research, consultation, drafting policy, review, approval, implementation, and review and evaluation. Effective policies ensure that an organization operates with consistency, transparency, and accountability.
