After the Covid pandemic, there comes a time when the digitalization of processes and everything become a core part. Many small businesses started operating online, the number of remote jobs increased, and people started to get habituated to the digital process of everything.
But after all these, there is still some operating procedure, that people still struggle with. It is still quite difficult to go to every employee and make them learn about different rules and regulations. So for this not just online, but for offline activities as well it is important to know the different procedures of business or using tools.
But how can it all be implemented? Well, here comes the SOP. In this blog, you will learn what is SOP, what are the different types of it, and step by step process of writing SOP.
What is SOP?
The full form of SOP is Standard Operating Procedure. If we look at the definition of SOP, we will see it is a documentation process of work instructions in written format. Standard Operating Procedures is a step-by-step guide to perform a specific task that is repetitive in an organization. This is written for the people who will perform the set of tasks, and by providing that, they can perform the task even in the absence of any physical instructions.
Why SOP is needed?
Let’s think of a situation where you have onboarded new employees in your team. Now you are in a remote team and you use a lot of tools such as Tixio, Slack, Jira and many others. In each tool, you have a different functionality or different use cases. Now it will be difficult to sit with your new employees and have a meeting 2-3 hours long just to make them understand how each and every tool are performed.
Even let’s say you do that, there is a possibility that employees won’t be able to remember all the staffs you have instructed them. So for this, there needs to be a proper documentation process. And also here comes the SOP.
For many organizations to reduce time and increase productivity SOP is one of the most important parts of making these processes and smarter. In this fast-growing world, you just can’t afford to lose one more second. So in short if we look at why need SOP, we will see –
- It reduces time and increases productivity.
- It clarifies the overall process for the employee.
- Keeps you on schedule.
- Operations efficiency improves because of a structured SOP.
- Increase in profitability.
How to write an SOP for the organization (Step by Step)
Since we have talked a lot about SOP, let’s go through some steps to write SOP. Here we will discuss 9 steps that will help you to write an SOP.
- Identify the process: Identify the process that you want to create an SOP for. This could be a specific task or a series of tasks that must be carried out in a particular way.
- Break down the process: Break down the process into individual steps, and make a list of each step. This will help you to clearly identify each step and ensure that nothing is missed.
- Identify the stakeholders: Identify the stakeholders involved in the process, such as employees, customers, suppliers, or other departments. Consider their needs and expectations when creating the SOP.
- Define the purpose: Define the purpose of the SOP. What is the goal of the process, and what are the desired outcomes? Ensure that the SOP aligns with the organization’s goals and objectives.
- Write the steps: Write the steps of the process in a clear and concise manner. Use simple language and avoid technical jargon. Consider including visual aids such as flowcharts or diagrams to help illustrate the process.
- Add details: Add details such as who is responsible for each step, what tools or resources are required, and any potential risks or challenges. Consider the stakeholders’ needs and expectations when adding these details.
- Review and refine: Review the SOP to ensure that it is accurate, complete, and easy to understand. Refine the language and structure as needed.
- Train employees: Once the SOP is finalized, train employees on the new process. Provide them with a copy of the SOP and ensure that they understand the steps and their roles and responsibilities.
- Monitor and update: Monitor the process to ensure that it is being followed correctly and that the desired outcomes are being achieved. Update the SOP as needed to reflect any changes or improvements to the process.
To write a proper SOP in this step-by-step process try the Tixio Wiki feature. In Tixio Wiki, you can write, add links, comments and share it with your team members and collaboratively work in a wiki anytime from anywhere.
For advanced features, try the Wiki Script feature. Just create an SOP and put the website link where you want to show it. By downloading the Tixio Lite Chrome extension, anyone who has this shared wiki will see the SOP, or whatever documents you have made on the website will be shown anytime. So you don’t always have to find different SOPs’ in different folders.
