How we review manuals.

Our checks when reviewing and updating operations manuals, franchise manuals, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and training.

Asking us to review your operations manuals, standard operating procedures, policies and training annually will ensure better legal compliance, performance, competitive advantage and profitability in your business.

At Manual Writers, we use 10 in-depth document ‘health checks’ to thoroughly review existing operations manuals (and SOPs, franchise operations manuals and training programmes etc.) before writing an in-depth report. Then we adapt, update or rewrite them as necessary (if requested by the client).

(And if you choose to review business documentation yourselves, use checks like ours below.)

10 health checks we make when reviewing manuals:

1. Performance.

We first take time to understand how well operations manuals, SOPs and training are currently performing for the business that uses them.

Here we check things like the real-world operational quality, output, effectiveness, efficiency, sales, costs, profitability, training and recruitment costs, churn, customer service, competitive advantage, structure, waste, logistics etc. of an organisation to measure the effectiveness of current documentation (and training) and so assess what a review and update must address.

2. Issues & Consequences.

We then consult with the client and their team to discover specific issues caused (directly or indirectly) by current operations manuals, documentation or training (or lack of them), which must be fixed in the review and updates.

These might include things like legal compliance issues; litigation; failure of a statutory inspection; employment tribunals; accidents and incidents; unsafe practices; poor response to an emergency; defunct practices; underperformance; inefficiencies; poor profitability; waste; customer complaints; poor internet reviews; bad publicity; bad social media; internal arguments or confusion etc. All of which pose serious risks to a business if they are not urgently fixed in an update.

3. Change & Technology.

Operations manual reviews must address performance issues (see above) to continually improve and drive quality and profitability in your organisation – but they must also consider all changes (however small) made in your organisation since the last update, so they stay current, effective and legitimate.

Here we check for changes in products and services, technology, equipment, consumables, maintenance, suppliers, practices, methods, specifications, parts, assembly (if a manufacturing business) or recipes (if a food business), testing, presentation, organisational structure, persons, ownership, branding, branches, mission and vision, SWOT, feedback from staff, intended goals (of the procedures, manuals or training), markets, economy and regulations etc.

4. Legal compliance.

Laws (and the requirements associated with them) are constantly changing. Manuals and training pose a risk to your business if they contain practices, policies and procedures that no longer comply with the latest laws, regulations and statutory requirements (and or changing regulations under Brexit) – and could lead to expensive legal consequences unless urgently updated.

We check things like compliance with the latest employment, health and safety, food safety (if a food business) and data protection laws and requirements; licensing; statutory testing and assessments; risk assessment procedures; emergency procedures; codes of ethics; franchising codes of ethics (if a franchise); COVID requirements; BREXIT requirements; and requirements of your insurers etc.

5. Best practice.

There may be procedures detailed in your operations manuals and training that seem to work but would be much improved if they met the latest best practices and expectations in your sector.

Here, we would check if your documentation and training reflects the best procedures currently available, the most efficient ways of doing things, the most profitable outcomes, the best practices of your competitors, the best methods suggested by suppliers and equipment documentation, improvements and needs communicated by your team, expectations in your market and amongst your customers, and ethics in your sector etc.

6. Content, depth of content & audience.

Good operations manuals (or franchise manuals) and training must be living resources that grow with your organisation. As you get bigger, mature or move into new markets, documentation and instruction must keep up. You will need to cover more (in greater depth) to meet the needs of expanded operations, wider ranges of products or services and a larger team in different roles, as you grow.

Over time, the audience for your manuals will also change. Simpler manuals and training might have suited a smaller closer-knit team in the early days of your business – but will not be comprehensive enough to address the growing audience of staff and departmental teams (each with their own specific needs and competences) that a larger business must support, inform and control.

So, we check that your manuals and training cover all the procedures needed in EVERY role, EVERY function and EVERY department in your business TODAY (and due to roll out in the near future) in enough depth; that they include enough content and appropriate policies for the size of your business; that they properly address different audiences of staff by type and competence; and that they are separated into booklets and tools (such as online resources, departmental sections, quick-reference, booklets, signage and training bursts) that support and drive performance in your business as it is today.

7. Design, Clarity & Language.

Effective manuals must communicate well.

This means they must be written in clear English, avoid unnecessary jargon or ‘legalese’ and use clear attractive formatting, design and graphics. For additional clarity, they should also be written in one ‘voice’ with the right ‘tone’ throughout and contain the appropriate level of detail for the intended reader of each page.

Thus we check language, voice, tone, consistency, clarity, audience-appropriate levels of detail, overuse of jargon or legalese, formatting, design, use of colours, use of fonts, use of graphics, clarity of graphics, use of tables, use of lists, internal references, external references, publishing and distribution methods, elements that would be better separated (e.g. online resources, booklets, training resources, reference or quick reference cards etc.), manual structure and sections, flow, indexes etc.

 8. Corporate Culture & Brand.

You may have started your business using simple generic manuals and training that don’t reflect your corporate culture today as it has now evolved. You may even have changed your core values, language, branding and image as you have developed. You must review and update your manuals (and training) regularly, so they underpin and reinforce who you are and what you stand for in every aspect of your operation.

Here, we check your manuals and training use current corporate language, tone and approach; that formality and informality are used where they are appropriate; that positive language (‘how to do this well’) and negative language (‘what you must not do’) are balanced; that your current values and customer promises are reinforced throughout; that branding is correct (in the text AND in graphics/photos); that products and services are all as currently named; that nothing conflicts with what you say you stand for; and that policies are ‘on-message’ etc.

9. References and External Resources.

It makes sense to separate the most changeable aspects of your operation from the main body of your operations manual (e.g. product specifications, prices, suppliers etc.) by creating external resources (e.g. appendices, electronic files, online links, bulletins, booklets, training etc.) that your manual points its readers to. It is also important to reinforce your manuals and training with additional external resources and reference materials.

But these resources (and references to them in manuals and training) must be kept up to date to be effective.

We check all internal references within a manual; all external references mentioned in a manual; currency of external resources; currency of integrated resources; items that would be better separated into external resources; web and intranet links; formats of bulletins; lists of contents and indexes, etc.

10. Use, Adoption & Integration.

Good operations manuals (and franchise manuals and training resources) should be USED EVERY DAY within your operation in some form (making your business more efficient and driving better performance). If your manuals ‘sit on the shelf’, they are of no use to anybody.

That is why it is important to:

1. Create integrated resources to reinforce the standards, policies and procedures detailed in your manuals within the DAILY operation of your business. (E.g. training, training bursts, training manuals, CPD, mentoring, coaching, induction, briefings, quick-reference cards, booklets, posters, signage, online resources, Apps, software, online resources, online videos, etc.)

2. Create a culture of using manuals and the resources integrated with them. (E.g. by getting those manuals and integrated resources into the hands of the right staff; by management referring staff to manuals and resources when they need help; by reinforcing the use of those resources through training; etc.)

3. Introduce new manuals and procedures to your team in ways they believe in. (E.g. by launching new manuals, new procedures and training in a properly planned rollout that incorporates interesting launch events and launch training; by explaining and reinforcing the benefits of new manuals and procedures to your team; by rewarding your team in appropriate ways for adopting and following your manuals; by measuring adoption and use; by involving staff in the review of manuals; etc.)

So, we check how manuals (and integrated resources) are used by your team; rates of adoption and use; availability and use of integrated resources; consistency in external resources and training; culture of use; existence of new manual (or new standard operating procedure) rollout plans and events; the degree that the benefits of using manuals and resources are explained and reinforced; team confidence in manuals and resources; team belief in the benefits of manuals and resources; the degree that feedback from staff is used in developing manuals and training; methods for staff to make suggestions; etc.

We can review existing operations manuals, franchise manuals, standard operating procedures and training for you in quick, simple and affordable ways.

Following a review, we can update everything for you or you can make your own changes based on our detailed report.

Get in touch today to improve the performance of your business (and reduce your risk) through our professional manual (& training) review & update services. We can also write new manuals, procedures and training for you - see here.

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