Do you know about the bus syndrome?

How important is a staff manual?

A staff manual, or at least written down procedures, can provide much-needed clarity. Step by step your staff can learn what to do when and how.

New staff member
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When you employ new staff, they have the same instructions as everyone else, therefore quality standards and expectations are the same.
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The Why
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When your employees are unsure about the next step; the why of a step; the overall picture of a task or process, they can look up the staff manual and find the answers there - most of the time without the need to bother you!

Bus syndrome
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Even if you only have five staff members, it pays to have certain processes written down. Think of it as the 'bus syndrome' - If you or your staff member gets run over by a bus, someone else needs to do the job, and if they don't know what to do, then what?

The process

When I create a staff manual I am in the person’s shoes. I do the task, then write it down, next step, write down, and so on.
It makes me question some of the steps, it makes me think about the step, does it make sense, can it be made simpler, streamlined?
Once the process is written down completely I let it sit and then look at it with fresh eyes.
When I am satisfied I read and do the task according to the manual. That provides the chance to find little inconsistencies or hick-ups.
Once I’m satisfied the manual is clear, I ask someone else to follow the steps and do the tasks, to see if it is understandable and makes sense.
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If you don't know where to start, contact me as I can help you.
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