How to Effectively Roll Out an SOP - The Writers For Hire

HOW TO EFFECTIVELY ROLL OUT AN SOP Rolling out a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is a big deal. You are, after all, changing the way employees handle the processes in your company. A successful SOP rollout includes testing the SOP and troubleshooting it, training your employees, and updating it as needed. But as complicated as the process can be, any growing company occasionally has to create a new or updated SOP. But did you know that if you roll out your SOP the right way, you may get less resistance from your staff? Let’s take a look at an ideal rollout plan. Then think about using it to implement your new SOP. Test It Before the Official Rollout You’ve worked on your new SOP for a long time, and all you want to do is roll it out and be done with it. But it would be counterproductive to roll out the plan unless you first test it to ensure that all the procedures are correct. We’ll get into the specifics of an effective test program for SOPs in another post, but if you’re about to roll out your new SOP, make sure you’ve done the following at a minimum: Have someone from each department perform a live test for their segment of the SOP. When you test the SOP department-by-department, you will get usable and reliable test results. Don’t allow the SOP writers to test the processes because they may do what they meant to say instead of reading the actual instructions. Instead, ask people who perform the tasks in their daily jobs to do the tests.Ask for feedback and adjust the SOP if necessary. If the testing exposed any weaknesses or inconsistencies in the plan, you can make changes before the official rollout. You may have to go through the testing process several times, but once you’ve arrived at a point where the employee can perform the actions perfectly using the SOP instructions, it’s time to roll it out. Step One: Use the Right Platform Using project management software is an excellent way to park an SOP library. Many corporations use SharePoint because it was the first on the scene and is widely recognized. But others use different software for various reasons. For example, many smaller companies want a more streamlined and easy-to-use tool. If that’s what you need, take a look at Google Drive, Workzone, or Box. Most of the programs are customizable, so you can only add the features you need. And each one has its benefits and limitations so you will need to determine the right program for you. Once you’ve uploaded your SOP to the platform, it’s time to get your department heads on board. Step Two: Train Your Department Heads Before you disseminate the SOP throughout all the layers of your organization, you should ensure that the department heads understand it. If you train them now, they will be able to answer any questions their team has. You can do this in several ways. For example, hold workshops for department heads that teach them the basics of the SOP. If you can predict and anticipate the most common staff questions, you will save a lot of time by addressing them with the department heads. Then instruct the department staff to go to the department head if they have any questions. You can also train your department heads one-on-one. This method is more time-consuming, but it allows you to address specific compliance issues for each department during the training. Step Three: Ask Department Heads to Inform the Staff Now that the department heads understand the new SOP, it’s time to inform the staff about its existence. When you use your newly-trained department heads to spread the word, it will allow them to address any department specific questions the staff may have. Department heads can inform their staff about the new SOP in a number of ways. When do doing so, they should explain the reasons for the new SOP, what it means for them, how to access it, and when that access will be available to them. To get the word out, department heads can: Hold a department-wide meeting Use department emails to inform their staff of the new SOP Issue a memo to the entire department Now that your department heads are equipped to answer staff questions, it’s time to distribute the SOP. Step Four: Make the SOP Available to Staff The department heads have already informed the staff that a new SOP was coming, and now all that’s left to do is make it accessible to them. Instruct your department heads to point staff toward whatever platform you’ve chosen and ask them to read the SOP. With some programs, your staff will have to log on to the program while others will allow you to distribute it to everyone at once via email. You will need to ensure that all staff members read the SOP. But instead of tracking their compliance the old fashioned way via emails and phone calls, why not automate the process? It will make it easier on you, and less of a hassle for your staff. If you use SharePoint, you can enable DocRead to distribute the SOP to your staff easily and then receive a confirmation for every employee who reads it. Screenshot from Collaboris.comï » ¿ But when you distribute the SOP, don’t assume that all your employees learn the same way. The truth is that we all have different learning styles and some of us absorb information better by reading it, while others learn more by watching videos. To ensure that your staff learns the new SOP, offer them the chance to read it or watch a video. Step Five: Test Their Understanding It’s too easy for staff to glance over the SOP because they’re having a hectic day. But that won’t do anyone any good, and it certainly won’t ensure SOP compliance. To ensure your staff has read and understood the SOP, you should test them on the knowledge. SharePoint’s DocSurvey allows you to create and attach quizzes to the SOP document or video. The quizzes can be made up of multiple choice questions or open-ended questions. After you’ve created the quiz, you upload it to SharePoint. Then, you can require your employees to complete the quiz before the SOP is marked as read. Doing this ensures that the staff takes time to absorb the information. You can also assign a passing grade. If an employee reads the SOP, takes the quiz and doesn’t pass it, you can require them to take the quiz again. And remember, the department heads have been trained on the SOP, so if a staff member has questions, they will have been instructed to reach out to them for answers. Step Six: Track the Results Now that you’ve distributed the SOP, all staff has read it and passed the quiz; you would think your job is complete, right? Not so fast. Just because your employees read the SOP, that doesn’t mean things are flowing smoothly in every department. You will need to follow up with staff and ask how the changes are affecting their workflow. Do this by assigning ownership for each process of the SOP. You can do this by department or however it makes sense for your organization. For instance, if customer service processes have changed, assign ownership to that department head. That person will be responsible for tracking the SOP’s effects on procedures. They should document every incidence of non-compliance as well as any issues that arise from the new procedures. To streamline the process, you can use issue tracker software like Zoho or Incident Monitor. You can also ask the owners to use DocSurvey, or whatever project management tool they use, to send periodic surveys to employees asking for feedback about the SOP. If the same issue is brought up more than once, you should take a look at it. Chances are, it’s an opportunity to improve the system even more. To ensure that the reviews are done in a timely manner, you can input expiration dates into the program. That’s the end of the SOP process. While it took a lot of work to implement, you now have a structure that will keep staff on track and in compliance. That is, until your procedures change again.

11 Tips for Surviving a Miserable Job

11 Tips for Surviving a Miserable Job Work is work, not play. That’s why it’s called work. But there’s a difference between work being work and having to work a really miserable job. We’ve all been there. Here are 11 ways to tough it out in a job you hate- at least until you can get another one.1. Vent it OutAs long as you don’t do it at the office or with your coworkers or too publicly (ahem, on social media), it can be a really good thing to rant and rave and get your feelings off your chest rather than letting them fester. If you’ve already annoyed your friends with your work gripes, try a forum like jobvent.com.2. Realize it’s Only TemporaryYou’re only stuck there until you can find another job. Start looking. The average number of jobs a typical worker has in their career is growing to five. And there is no longer a stigma about switching jobs or careers like there used to be. Get out there and start working on your resume and soon this bummer job will be way i n the past.3. Make Time for YourselfAll work and no play will make you miserable, no matter what your work is. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself and taking time to do things you find enjoyable. If you build these activities into your day, it’ll be a lot easier to get through.4. Find Something Fun in Your WorkdayGive yourself a daily treat at the office, whether that’s listening to music at your desk, buying yourself  a snazzy lunch, keeping track of your sports team, playing the occasional round of chess against your computer†¦ just something to break up the day. Find something you like that will give you a few minutes of fun among the drudgery.5. Keep LaughingYour sense of humor is your best friend in rough times. Don’t lose sight of it. Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine. Find a way to keep a hold on perspective and keep laughing. Your situation is manageable and can be changed. Just keep your chin up and stay positive.6. Focus on Your Real LifeChances are you have plenty going on outside the office. Put your main focus on that stuff for a change. Don’t take your bad job home with you; leave work at work and make sure your outside life is rich and rewarding. And fun.7. Try to Do BetterIf you hate your job, it’s probably really hard to motivate yourself to excel. But being better at your job will actually help you move jobs- whether up the ladder at your current company, or to another one entirely. Put your hating energy into working harder and your problem might just solve itself.8. Don’t Screw UpYou hate your job, but the last thing you want to do is get fired. Be doubly careful not to put your job in jeopardy while you’re figuring out what to do next. Whatever you do, don’t let your performance slip. You’ll probably need a reference.9. Organize a Fun Night OutGet your coworkers to all go bowling, or to a movie, or to have a potluck picnic in the park. Chances ar e they’re probably as miserable as you are on the job. Get together, share some laughs, and feel a little better about life.10. Get HelpWorkplace stress can be a major factor in depression. Check to see whether your company has an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) and get some professional help to see you through. A happy worker is more productive, obviously. Plus, it never hurts to talk things out with the pros.11. Be PatientYour bad job sucks, but you only have to cope long enough to find a new job. Devote yourself to that, but leave the rest of it at the office. You can get through 9-5 every day for a few weeks until you find something new. Hang in there.

Managing Human Resources (Reflecting on the issue raised by the Sales Essay

Managing Human Resources (Reflecting on the issue raised by the Sales Manager) - Essay Example These are important in order to build a successful manufacturer - sales agent relationship". Sales representatives also give importance to product package, quality product lines that are competitive in terms of effectiveness and affordability. They are particular in the quality and delivery of the products and most importantly, sales people seek to represent organization that has proven integrity and are supportive of agents (Spiegel 2006). While looking at the factors mentioned, sales management can conduct teambuilding for the sales representatives. Sales people are so vital to the organization that it is important to invest in them. Management should make the sales people feel they are important. Bonding and trust in each other are created during team building and sales people always look forward to this kind of activity. Feeling a sense of belonging make them stay long in the organization. Sales planning should also be conducted in a venue outside the company. In this particular activity, people give their sales commitment with the corresponding action plan that they would take to insure the achievement of the sales target. Improvement in the sales performance is observed after a sales planning. A medium-size streamer is displayed conspicuously at the lobby on the way to the conference room where orientation for new employees takes place. The text on the streamer says, "At NL&C, you're in good hands. We insure your future through the 401 (k) Retirement Plans". At this stage when new employees have just begun an episode of their lives with NL&C, they will know that obviously the streamer is exclusively for their curious eyes and questioning mind. The streamer was placed along their path for them to see and feel the caring hands of NL&C from the start and through their stay with their newfound company. Apparently, as in-charge of employees' benefits, I think I was able to effectively put the message across. My purpose of putting 401 (k) retirement plans in the text is to stir the curiosity of the new employees. Many of them, especially the first timer or those who come from another company which does not offer the same privilege, would ask what 401 (k) is. I understand that although 401(k) will benefit them, there will be a lot of questions and some opposition. I have to give them advance information of what will be discussed during the orientation. I want them to be excited so that the appetite to listen attentively will prevail as soon as they enter the conference room. After some explanation of the company rules and regulations, its time for the new employees to hear why it is worth partnering with NL&C. 401(k) along with other benefits will be explained this way: First of all, there are protections and benefits that go with the new workers everyday while they work with the company. On top of them there is the 401(k) retirement plans which afford them of a long term benefit. A portion of their salary will be put aside for their

Should the UK government restore the 50% additional rate of income tax Essay - 4

Should the UK government restore the 50% additional rate of income tax - Essay Example From a general perspective, one can easily identify the motives of the UK government in terms of pumping out fund flow from the economy. Observing with an economic perspective, the tax hike initiative of the UK government can be categorized as a major deterrent factor that has slowed down the pace of functionality of this nation’s economy by a considerable extent (Young & Saltiel, 2011). UK citizens, in the present market economic scenario, are literally forced towards paying high rates of taxes whereas the lower income groups are made to pay marginal amounts. Considering all these aspects, the discussion will majorly focus towards answering the currently rising question regarding whether the UK government should restore the 50 per cent additional hike of income tax rates. Maintaining correspondence, the details regarding these aspects have been elaborated in the underneath sections. As mentioned above, the objective of this paper is to analyse the impacts of income tax hike on the overall trade practices and economic pace of development of the UK. Based on the findings generated thereupon, appropriate conclusions will be made constructed as to whether the UK government should bring down its present income tax levels to 50% as previous. In contemporary macro-economic concepts, taxation is deemed as one of the fundamental tenets that holds significant influence on the stability and performance of any nation. It operates as a basic mechanism in the financial system of a country. The history behind imposing an additional 50% on the existing income tax rates can directly be linked with the hollow and un-rational mentality of the coalition government. The coalition government intended to impose a higher level of tax burden upon the richer income groups with the intention of attaining better revenue inflow along with stability in the overall wealth distribution process within

Triple Sugar Test in Microbiology Essay Example for Free

Triple Sugar Test in Microbiology Essay Triple sugar-iron (TSI) agar test- designed to differentiate among the different groups or genera of the Enterobacteriaceae, which are all gram-negative bacilli capable of fermenting glucose with the production of acid a. Differentiation is made on the basis of differences in carbohydrate fermentation patterns and hydrogen sulfide production. To facilitate observation of carbohydrate utilization patterns- TSI agar slants contain lactose and sucrose (1%) concentrations and glucose (0.1%) concentration which permits detection of the utilization of this substrate only. The acid base indicator phenol red- also incorporated to detect carbohydrate fermentation that is indicated by a change in color of the medium from orange-red to yellow in the presence of acids. a. Method to inoculate slant: stab and streak procedure which requires insertion of sterile straight needle from the base of the slant into the butt. Upon withdrawal, the slanted surface of the medium is streaked. Determining activities of the organism: a. Alkaline slant (red) and acid butt (yellow) with or without gas production (breaks in the agar butt): Only glucose fermentation has occurred. Glucose was degraded first. Since this substrate is minimally present, the small amount of acid produced on the slant surface is oxidized rapidly. Peptones in the medium are used in production of alkali. In the butt the acid reaction is maintained because of reduced O2 tension and slower growth of the organism. b.Acid slant (yellow) and acid butt (yellow) with or without gas production: Lactose and or sucrose fermentation has occurred. Since these substances are present in higher concentrations, they serve as the substrates for continued fermentative activities with maintenance of an acid reaction in both slant and butt. c.Alkaline slant (red) and alkaline butt (red) or no change (orange-red) butt- No carbohydrate fermentation has occurred. Instead peptones are catabolized under anaerobic and or aerobic conditions resulting in an alkaline pH due to production of ammonia. If only aerobic degradation of peptones occur, the alkaline reaction is evidenced only on the slant surface. If there is aerobic and anaerobic utilization of peptone, the alkaline reaction is present on the slant and the butt.

Energy Crisis: Is America In Trouble :: essays research papers fc

Global energy crisis threatens, scientist says CHICAGO (April 17, 1997) -- An impending global energy crisis with potentially massive impact on American industry and jobs can be avoided if America strives for a portfolio of energy systems, a distinguished scientist said here today. In advocating an end to name-calling between energy advocates and environmentalists, Alan Schriesheim said, "We cannot set effective energy policy in an environmental vacuum, nor can we set effective environmental policy in an energy vacuum." Schriesheim, director emeritus at Argonne National Laboratory, spoke at a gathering sponsored by the Chicago Academy of Sciences at the University Club of Chicago. Energy demand will soar worldwide over the next 20 years, he said. "What do you think might happen," he asked the audience, "to the world's energy needs and environmental concerns if we added a new United States to the planet every three years for the next 20 years? This is not an academic question. The world population today is growing at exactly that rate, and it is projected to continue growing at that rate through 2020." The bulk of that population growth will come in the poorer countries, Schriesheim said, "places where talk of energy policy comes second to talk of food and shelter and survival; places where, if the only affordable fuel is growing in the rain forest, you will take that fuel today without a moment's thought of the consequences tomorrow." The Argonne scientist's talk was titled "What Every High School Graduate Should Know About Energy," and was part of the Chicago Academy of Sciences lecture series "Science Literacy for the 21st Century: What Should Every High School Graduate Know?" Schriesheim told the audience that world population growth of more than 86 million people per year is "the equivalent of adding two cities the size of Chicago to the planet each month." "So not only will all the Earth's current population demand more energy in the years ahead," he said, "those billions of new people are going to want their share too." Schriesheim chided energy executives who dismiss environmental concerns, and environmentalists who dismiss the energy production potential of fossil fuels, flowing water, and uranium in favor of so-called "renewable" energy sources such as solar energy. He said that for the next several generations renewables -- such as solar, wind, and farm-grown energy crops -- are expected to provide only 2 to 4 percent of global energy supplies.

Child Labor Since the Industrial Revolution Essay

Child labor has changed dramatically since the time of the industrial revolution. Teens everywhere can now have part time jobs that aren’t hazardous to their health and follow strict child labor laws. Although pretty much all our ancestors weren’t so lucky. During n the Industrial Revolution there were no child labor laws. The factory owners just saw it as jobs that could be done by anyone, and grown men would not stand for such low pay so who better than children who are just as happy with pennies and nickels. Children working in factories didn’t just have to deal with low income they also had horrid working conditions, health hazards, low wages, long hours worked per day, and almost every day worked per week. Child Labor had existed long before the Industrial Revolution; children were usually forced to work in family farms or as servants. But it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution that children were forced into factories with horrid working conditions. These kids would often work 10-12 hours a day, and also had to deal with constant abuse from superiors who demanded faster production. Children as young as four were employed to work in coal mines. Conditions were dangerous very dangerous in the coal mines, many children developed lung cancer and other diseases and died before the age of 25, while others died from gas explosions. Some children were employed as â€Å"scavengers† by cotton mills, their jobs would be to climb under machinery to pick up cotton, some died from being crushed under the machines, and some lost hands or even limbs. After reports of these atrocities became widespread politicians and the government tried to limit child labor by law, but factory owners resisted; some felt that they were aiding the poor by giving their children money to buy food to avoid starvation, and others simply welcomed the cheap labor. The English governments’ efforts only led to the limit of 10 hours of work per day for children but working conditions were still atrocious. In the 21st century there are many regulations that have drastically improved safety and limits on child workers in the U.  S. The minimum age for â€Å"Non-Hazardous† work is 14, and for agricultural work that age is dropped to 10-11 years old with parental consent on farms not regulated by minimum wage requirements, and 12-13 years old just with parental consent. The laws on today’s limit on hours of employment are as follows: No work during school hours, on school days: 3 hours/day, 18 hours/week maximum, when school is out of session: 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week with at least 30 minute s of break time included each day. These laws helped to keep hours of work limited to ensure more time for school and other activities. There have also been laws for minimum wage that a teen can receive for work. Federal Minimum is $7. 25 per hour as of 7/24/09 youth minimum is $4. 25 per hour for employees under 20 years of age during their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment with an employer. In today’s working world hazards teens will face while working are limited to just slipping on wet floors, minor burns, and small cuts. Granted this is if most safety precautions are carried out and it was accidental. So far no child worker has been exposed to any harmful diseases while working, during the 21st century. The managers overseeing children working are very helpful and are punished by law if they harass or physically injure any employees. Since the Industrial revolution the ages of child workers have changed from as young as 4 to, at the very least, 10. Child workers today are no longer allowed to work 12 or 14 hours a day, instead there are strict laws that allow for a thirty minute break everyday and no more than 18 hours of work per week. Minimum wage has been changed from pennies and nickels to $7. 25 since the Industrial Revolution. Teems working nowadays are ensured by workers compensation and serious injuries are rare because of safety precautions taken; as opposed to frequent diseases, serious injuries, and even death that were reported in the Industrial Revolution. Thankfully many changes have ensured the health and safety of child workers today. I am personally thankful for these laws and regulations because as of next week I will be working at Panera Bread and it is nice to know that I am safe as a working teen.