What is an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure)?
You’ve heard the term SOP. But what exactly is an SOP? Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), is a step-by-step set of instructions created to assist team members/employees in performing tasks in a consistent manner. This allows for consistency in the processes no matter who is working on the task. An SOP can also be used as a training tool as you bring on new team members or created as a reminder on how to do certain tasks that are less frequently completed.
But isn’t that just a process?
No, while a process and SOP both provide step-by-step instructions to perform a certain task, an SOP provides more detailed specific steps, assignments, and workflows to meet company or industry standards. You will need to know your processes though to determine which ones need an SOP. These would be the processes that have strict protocol, where a single step cannot be overlooked.
Writing your SOPs
When writing your SOP’s there are a few steps you can follow to help organize your thoughts and how you plan to standardize your procedures.
- Start with the end – what is the end result you are looking to achieve? What steps and processes will help you to reach your end result?
- Format the process – whatever format you decide to use, make sure it is easy to understand for the end-user. Some examples of formats include step-by-step documents, workflow diagrams, organizational charts, detailed instructions, and checklists.
- Get feedback from the team – talk to those team members/employees who will be using the SOP. Ask for their feedback. While you may think you’ve covered all the bases, working through the actual process allows the end-user to catch anything you may have missed. They may even suggest how it could work more efficiently. You will also know if you have communicated the processes in an understandable format.
- Write your SOP – once you have the format selected to best communicate the steps of the process, think of your audience, and prepare your SOP.
- Implement and Update – SOPs should be updated at least once a year after implementation. This way you are sure they will meet the needs of the company at that time. Your team members/employees will always have the most up-to-date information to perform their tasks.
I’m here to help!
Our goal is to help you succeed with your business. With extensive experiences with document control, managing projects and more has given me the innate ability to know when things will work versus not work in a business setting. My team and I at Expert Virtual Services can help you review your processes, determine which ones need SOPs and work with you to create the standard operating procedures you need to keep your business running smoothly.