Most businesses have similar core ‘pillars’, ‘departments’ or ‘sections’ to ensure they operate effectively. You should consider 8 important areas of your business should you be wanting to foster growth.
These areas will expand as your business grows, however the basics are often several areas of company operations that can be broken into ‘groups’ for easy identification and management.
Operations Manual Template + 50 Free Templates
These groups are outlined below.
The 8 areas above, identify areas of operations for any typical business. Operations Manuals are effective because they organise your business into a structure that provides the full picture.
Table of Contents
As an example, a franchise type business utilizes a franchise operations manual template because these documents work. So if you operate a small or medium scale business, it makes sense to get organized and document your business to give it the best opportunity for success.
Focusing on the ‘areas’ or ‘pillars’ indicated above as a start, will allow you to create a relatively comprehensive Operations Manual and get your business systems underway. You can create an operations manual template in MS Word as an easy way to get started fast. Creating the table of contents first is usually a great way to plan your manual.
8 core pillars of operations are below.
1. Company Introduction
We believe an introduction to your business is appropriate, as it identifies firstly the business and also the owners and management of the organization. It simply makes people feel welcome which is hugely important.
If people are a key component of your organization, then making them feel welcomed and valued should be a priority. You can introduce your company, your history, how your business began and the people involved to bring connection and ownership to any new employees that start in your organisation.
Save a huge amount of time and energy by using an Operations Manual Template.
Operations Manual Template + 50 Free Templates
2. Vision and Values Manual
This Vision and Values section outlines the ‘Vision and Values’ of your business, sets direction for your team and allows you to think of the big picture.
What your business is all about is one of the most significant aspects of having a business. Why have you created it? What is your direction and where are you going? Communicating these things to your team, suppliers and stakeholders should be the first aspect you consider when creating an operations manual.
Set the direction for your organization.
3. Administration Manual
The Administration section includes everything to do with operating the administration side of the business. This includes things like general tasks such as answering the phone and providing stationary and facilities for staff to use on a daily basis.
This particular part of the Organization is important because it helps the business to operate smoothly.
Provide a comprehensive resource for administration aspects of your business.
4. Finance Manual
The Finance Manual includes everything to do with finance such as approving monies to be spent, purchasing transactions, team credit cards and invoicing and debt collection.
This particular aspect of a business is crucial to ensure cash-flow and ensure the business has suitable funds to keep operating.
Finances and ensuring accuracy and accountability is crucial to business performance.
5. Human Resources Manual
The Human Resources section of a business can be complex and demanding. This part of the business deals with team contracts, entitlements, team member concerns and behavior.
There are plenty of standards that need to be met in this area of the business and are often dictated by law. Often one of the harder parts of a business this area often needs a specialist.
People are your most important asset.
6. Production or Operations Process Manual
Operations need to be completed accurately to ensure product or service quality.
Operations are the core of your business and the product or service you provide. Documenting your process is one of the most important things you can do for your organization. It has far-reaching effects into all areas of your business.
- Your operations process manual or operations playbook template should detail how everything is done within your business. From quality control to cleaning the factory floor or cleaning the office, it doesn’t really matter, everything should be documented.
- As you can imagine this is a huge undertaking. However don’t expect it to be done quickly just expect it to be done thoroughly. Every time you document a process or procedure you save a significant amount of time the next time somebody needs to complete that task.
- This is particularly important when new team members start in your organization. However it doesn’t apply just to new team members it applies to existing staff that have been there for a while as well. Having processes and procedures documented ensures a good quality outcome for your product or service.
- Even existing team members that have been in your business for a long time need to be reminded on how to do things correctly. If your business is complex then these tools are necessary reminders to get things done to the standard you expect.
- Can you expect to be delivering a high quality standard if you don’t have any rules or documentation to follow? It simply won’t happen because people will apply their own personal standards to their jobs. Everybody is different and everybody’s standards are different and so this is where operations processes and procedures come into play.
All of your operations and processes should have quality control checklists. This ensures that the quality leaving your business is of the highest standard. Everybody misses things particularly when there is a lot of details to be captured and therefore checklist are an awesome tool to ensure that quality is met
7. Emergency Manual
An Emergency Manual is a definite inclusion for your Operations Manual. This type of document explains in detail what should be done should there be an emergency that impacts your business.
It includes actions and procedures to take in the event on an emergency.
Often a legislative requirements so this is a ‘must have’.
8. Marketing Manual
The last part of the Operations Manual is the Marketing Manual Template. Marketing can take a significant amount of resources. This manual aims to provide standard procedures and guidelines for marketing your business.
Generate more work through your marketing team with accurate guidelines. The last part of the Operations Manual is the Marketing Manual Template. Marketing can take a significant amount of resources. This manual aims to provide standard procedures and guidelines for marketing your business.
You might need additional areas for your business, however if you just start with the above, you will be well on your way to creating something of value for your organization.
Within each area there is likely to be a lot of detail. If you have particular personnel in your business that manage these areas then it would be ideal to get their input and ask them to take charge of their section.
With your guidance you will soon create a significant Operations Manual that will become an extremely useful tool that you can use daily and provide to new team members when they arrive in your business.
Conclusion
It is important to break your business down into the essential pillars that can be managed more efficiently. As your business grows, you will need to do this so each area of your business has it’s own guidelines and procedures.
You could simply start off by creating your operations manual using something like MS Word and then progress to a more comprehensive system or intranet as your business grows. You could even start with a free operations manual template.
Whatever you do take the time to create your operations manual and get your business organised and on the right track as quickly and as efficiently as you can.
Save a huge amount of time and energy by using an Operations Manual Template.
Operations Manual Template + 50 Free Templates
Speak Your Mind
Got something to say or do you have any experience with Operations Manuals? Have you had any success with operations manuals in your business? What type of systems have you created that have brought success to your business?
Help others improve their business by leaving your advice in the comments below.
