Don’t Wait for a Crisis to Create an Efficient Policy Management System

Policy management, by definition, is the creation, organization, approval, and dissemination of policy and procedure documents...and so much more. With our university structure developing, changing, and delivering at a faster pace, it's no wonder that chaos can ensue when there is an abundance of changes and many individuals and departments involved. Once, not so long ago, we were all in the same relative space—now we find ourselves in a virtual world with multiple campuses amid constant change.

Policy management is the art of taming the chaos, organizing the mess, and streamlining the entire process. In the university we look to the boards, senate, and leadership to set the standards for the institutions to follow and our policies articulate those visions set in everyday concrete terms. 

A policy management strategy helps everyone set expectations, provides direction for institutions, and guides important decision making. Strong policy management also minimizes the potential risks and liabilities for all areas of the university or organization.

Did everyone read this policy? Where is the latest update? Who’s responsible for monitoring and enforcement? Why are there similar policies from different units? And why do these two contradict each other?

No matter how advanced your policy management is, an institution can always benefit by making it centralized and easy to access and distribute. It is more than just keeping everything in a three-ring binder. It’s the creation, approval, organization, and dissemination of all policy and procedure documents. It also refers to the modernization of your manuals and records. In today’s world records management is not a physical item in a file drawer, it’s a virtual system of living documents that adapt to the changing landscape and the ever-changing threats and risks to the institution. It must be an accessible and easy way of disseminating new or amended policies to the stakeholders, and in many cases the institution or responsible authorities need to track and collect data on who reads them, and track compliance with rules, regulations, and laws that affect our institutions.

Policy management (a unified system) in the 21st century is critical. It’s your plan for distributing information simultaneously and efficiently. More importantly, it ensures that policy communication and implementation are in sync and centralized in one location. Its important that there be a clear and visible records management system and team in place at every institution.

It only takes one incident, one mistake, one error to mark an institution’s reputation and erode trust. As my colleague Deborah Bartlett, Washington State University recently wrote in Protecting Essential Records -- Key to Surviving a Catastrophe, “It’s crucial to consider the importance of your records and how to protect them...”

Policies should not be a ‘set-and-forget’ list of rules. If 2020 has shown us anything, it’s that we need to adapt and change with the times, and our policies need to reflect those ideologies.
Think without a box, be creative (where budgets are tight), and importantly be centralized and organized. I enjoyed this quick video that the University of British Columbia's Records Management Office created when they introduced key concepts of UBC Policy 117. It’s a fun watch and gave me a sense of direction and confidence in the system: Records Management 101: Policy and Responsibility.

This doesn’t mean you need a policy for every incident or change in the business or social climate. Rather, you should set up a regular review process that includes a centralized team to ensure the policies are accurate, relevant, and effective.

Everyone learns and understands differently, which for me emphasizes the need to ensure that the system and documents are accessible, understandable, and that training is provided. The right policy management system lets you be proactive in preventing problems, as well as giving you concrete processes to resolve the situation quickly and professionally. Frustration is only amplified when individuals can’t find the policy, or the wrong policy is being used.

Don’t wait for a crisis to change policies. You need a framework that addresses our new reality, and the need for responsive change and innovation is now.