It happens to all businesses. Project complexities increase, organizational changes are afoot, audit season is fast approaching, and the last thing on everyone’s mind is documentation. At times, people wonder why they should have documentation at all. They question its purpose and prolong creating it because they don’t have time or just don’t believe in it.
According to a BPTrends survey, only 4% of companies claim that they always document their processes. Many employees believe that documentation is either too time-consuming, contains irrelevant information, is hard to access, becomes outdated quickly, or has no value.
Regulations, compliance, and financial policies and procedures evolve, and social situations and conflicts within the workplace can quickly occur. It is during these moments that documentation can make your life so much easier. With the correct tools to maintain relevant information about your organization, its departments, and your employees' roles, documentation is a value-add that can enhance the services you provide your customers and stakeholders.
But how do we get past the barriers of creating documentation? And, for that matter, what type of documentation does your organization need?
Types of Business Documentation
All organizations require specific documentation for their departments. These documents address government regulations and general overviews of the values of your company and the roles of each department. These departments may include:
Human Resources: A hub for managing employees, Human Resources departments need onboarding documents; contracts (employment contracts, non-disclosure agreements, etc.); policies on company benefits, vacation and personal time, dress codes, and job descriptions; and procedures on conflict management and diversity and inclusion.
Information Technology: Depending on the structure of the department, IT may require internal and external software manuals, support processes and procedures, networking and security documentation, and training manuals and videos. The list can go on, particularly if your company relies heavily on the department for its overall services.
Operations: A sizable portion of a company, operation documentation can include process documentation, training documentation, maintenance procedures, safety manuals, business and strategic plans, bylaws, and governance manuals.
Finance: Financial departments are known for their organization and efficiency. They require annual and quarterly financial reports, financial strategies, policies and procedures around organization, accounting rules and routines, procurement, and bank and cash handling procedures.
Marketing/Sales: Branding documents, such as campaigns, proposals, presentations, and playbooks, are particularly important in the digital age. Like style guides, they can ensure your company's consistency in how it presents itself to the public.
Customer Service: Customer service is often the face of your company and must provide outstanding service as they represent your values toward your clients. Documentation for this department includes how-to guides, best practices, emergency management, tips and tricks for products and services, and articles/blog posts.
Why Documentation Is Necessary
With knowing how much documentation is actually needed for each department, it’s the creation of the actual documents or updating them that can be a challenge, particularly when business is booming, or your employees keep it on the end of their to-do list.
When documentation is created well, reviewing the information does not seem like a chore. When it is presented in the right means (whether as an electronic version, hard copy, etc.) it becomes part of an employee’s routine. Not only can it free up their time by having a resource that’s quick to access, but it also provides a backup for the business in case organizational changes occur.
As author Jared R. Chaffee states:
Process documentation establishes predictability. With predictability comes clear expectations. Your stakeholders and clients are kept happy when they know what to expect and don’t get negative surprises. It also keeps your employees happy. When a new hire joins your team, process documentation is used to help them understand what their job is and how to perform it to the level that is expected. And when employees know what behaviors are expected of them, they are more motivated to come to work and do their job well.
Documentation’s role is to maintain organizational values, enhance services and products, and provide reassurance to employees. It offers guidance when unpredictability hits, and backup to ensure your organization addresses all government regulations and policies. Though the creation of documentation can seem daunting, it is well worth it in the long run.
Does your company need documentation or documentation updates, but you don’t know where to start? Contact Scriptorium to see how our services can suit your needs.
References
Indeed Editorial Team. (2022, August 25). 18 Commonly Used Business Documents (With Definitions). Indeed. https://ca.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/business-documents
Prime Business Process Management. (2024, March 27). 5 Common Challenges in Documenting Business Processes and How to Overcome Them. https://www.primebpm.com/5-common-challenges-in-documenting-business-processes-and-how-to-overcome-them#why-is-it-necessary-to-document-processes
Traas, A. M. (2023, December 14). Documentation You Definitely Need. Tettra. https://tettra.com/article/types-support-team-documentation/
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