Six Basic Policies

As a small business owner, you face a variety of risks, especially as you begin to work with more
clients and hire employees. Your business deals with a certain amount of liability each day and
you can reduce some of that liability by having your policies clearly outlined in writing.

With so much to do, maintaining an extensive policies and procedures manual can be tricky.
Luckily there are many templates available to get you started, especially if your policies are
internal. You can refine these templates for your specific needs and update them as your business
grows. Here are six basic policies your business should have in place before you add another
client or hire additional employees.

1.) Workplace Safety Policies

Whether your business operates in a factory or a standard office complex, anyone who steps onto
your property faces some level of risk. A data entry worker could develop carpal tunnel
syndrome while in your employ. Your company vice president could injure himself moving a
computer from one office to another. By putting workplace safety policies in place, you can help
mitigate any damages caused by an employee's negligence.

2.) Disciplinary Policies

Occasionally you'll have the need to terminate an employee. When that occasion arises, you'll
have a much more straightforward experience if the employee has been cautioned about the
process. If your expectations for performance are outlined in the employee's initial job
description, you can show a history of problems by detailing those issues in regular evaluations
and write-ups.

3.) Device Use Policies

You may not realize that as an employer, you could be held responsible for the actions of those
in your employ. That means if one of your workers conducts illegal activities on one of your
systems, you may be answerable for it. Businesses protect themselves against liability in these
instances by having a clearly written usage policy that outlines what workers can and cannot do
on devices connected to your network.

4.) Work Hours and Turnaround Time

In the early days, your policies may relate more to your business processes than your team, since
you won't have a robust team starting out. One important first step should relate to your
availability, including your working hours. Studies show that customers prefer talking to live
customer service representatives. Will you be available for calls or emergency concerns after
hours or are you only available during business hours? Set those expectations up front to avoid
disappointment on either end.
Your turnaround time for each request should also be outlined in the beginning. Whether your
business handles graphic design or pest control, you should have a clearly outlined policy
regarding response time. If a customer or client asks that you dramatically reduce that response
time, you should also have a written policy in place to cover whether this will incur an extra
charge.

5.) Late Payment Policies

Before you do your first job, you should create a payment process for the work you'll perform.
How will you invoice your clients and what forms of payment will be accepted? Set a grace
period for payments to be made before a small service charge is added. Many businesses allow
30 days from the time of invoice for the payment to be made before they begin sending late
payment notices.

6.) Return/Refund Policies

If your business is a retailer or e-commerce business, you should have a return policy clearly
posted on your website or store signage. If you put a strict return policy in place, ask yourself
whether you plan to stand firmly behind that policy or capitulate for those customers who
escalate a complaint up the chain of command. Refunds are still a possibility for service-oriented
businesses, even though there is no product to resell. Many businesses offer satisfaction
guarantees to lure new business in. While you likely won't be able to offer a 100 percent money-
back guarantee, you should consider how you'll handle things when a client or customer is
dissatisfied with your work.

Written policies are a great way to protect yourself, while also providing a safe, fair working
environment for your employees. While written policies won't completely eliminate the issues
you'll face as a business owner, they will provide an element of protection as you hire new team
members and work with clients.