Why nobody reads your policies
Step 1 / 4·Policies get written for the wrong reader
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Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Separate policy, procedure and guideline
- Recognise when a problem can't be solved by a new policy
- Answer the five mandatory questions before you start writing
Policies get written for the wrong reader
Understand the root cause of unused policies.
Most HR policies are written for three audiences: the legal team, the auditors, and the executive who signs them off. The person who actually has to live with the policy — a plant supervisor or a new joiner — is barely considered.
The result is long documents that are textually correct but that nobody reads and nobody applies consistently. In practice, a policy that isn't understood is a policy that doesn't exist.
Three document types and their correct use
| Type | Answers the question | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Policy | What does the company require, and why? | Short, stable for years, mandatory, issued by the proper authority |
| Procedure | How exactly, and who does which step? | Detailed, changes more often, comes with forms and deadlines |
| Guideline | What's the good way to do this? | Advisory, not mandatory, cannot ground a disciplinary case |
Muddling the three is the costliest mistake
When procedural detail is stuffed into a policy, changing one form means re-approving the whole policy. And when an advisory guideline is written in mandatory language, the company can be seen as imposing obligations without a proper basis.
Key takeaway: Policy says WHAT and WHY, procedure says HOW, guideline only suggests — don't merge the three into one document.