Do You Have a Company Policy On...

If you have a company policy manual, chances are you've updated it several times after realizing you should have had a policy regarding some issue that recently came up in your business. For instance, I remember receiving a phone call from a client letting me know that our employee's driver's license was found in their copier. Apparently he needed a copy and decided to use our client's copy machine! We quickly realized we needed a policy that explained to employees that they are not allowed to use any property of the client, including copy machines, computers, etc.

As business owners, our first thought is that something as simple as not using client property should be common sense. But just about the time you think your employees have some common sense, they'll surprise you. Here are a few situations you might want to create a policy for, if it's not currently covered in your policy manual.

Do you have a policy on...

1. Visitors? Do your employees know that they are not allowed to have friends or family members on the properties you clean? If not, you will eventually find an employee's kids, boyfriend, sister, etc. at one of your accounts, and perhaps even in the building with your employee. You must have a policy that prohibits anyone but employees on the premises.

2. Building Security? Do you explain to your employees that when working after hours they must lock themselves into the building in order to keep it secure? Do they know they should not let people into the building after hours even if they "say" they are an employee?

3. Use of telephones and office equipment? If you don't tell your employees that they are not allowed to use telephones and office equipment like copiers, fax machines, and computers, you will eventually have an employee that violates this rule. And if they're a really "bright" employee, they may even leave whatever it is they're copying in the machine for the client to find.

4. Eating client candy, food and drinks? Many offices have candy dishes at the reception counter and food in the break room. If you don't have a policy against eating candy, food and drinks, you will have employees that sneak candy from the candy dish and take a soda from the refrigerator. Clients don't appreciate this and you shouldn't either.

5. Dress code? I'm not just talking about company shirts, but the rest of the dress such as: 1) no open-toed shoes, 2) no holes in the jeans, 3) no "short" shorts, etc. Without a dress code policy you leave your company's representation in the hands of your employees, who may not make the best choices.

6. Cell phone use? Cell phones are a distraction, both when driving and while working. You must have a policy that states no cell phone use when driving company vehicles. You should also have a policy regarding cell phone use while working.

This is just a small sampling of policies that should be included in your company policy manual. Is your company covered? If not, you may be interested in the Cleaning Company Policy Manual and Employee Handbook

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