What is an SOP?

An SOP is a set of instructions written to explain how to do a specific task in a step-by-step way. The procedure usually includes all the steps that are necessary to perform for any given task properly. It is important to follow SOPs exactly the same every time to make sure the organization stays consistent and follows industry rules and business standards.

Standard Operating Procedure typically aims to get uniformity in process execution. The process not only help organization to follow the regulatory standards but also decrease miscommunication. 

SOP is more than just a detailed procedural document. It also offers a reference guide to solve problems while ensuring safety. SOP also serves as a performance standardizer across the organization. 

SOPs give the rules, steps, and standards that the organization needs to do well. They can help a business by lowering mistakes, making things more efficient and profitable and keeping the workplace safe. It will also give guidance on how to solve problems and overcome challenges. 

Importance of Standard Operating Procedure 

Here are the reasons that make SOP important for almost every organization:

1. Increased Compliance 

When a company has well-defined SOP in place, it becomes easier for employees to follow guidelines and adhere to regulations. SOPs outline the steps and rules for carrying out specific tasks. It will in turn helps to increase compliance with industry standards and legal requirements.

2. Facilitate the Onboarding

It sometimes gets difficult to navigate the ins and outs of the operations of company especially for new employees. SOP provides a clear roadmap for onboarding. This makes it easier for new hires to understand their roles and responsibilities. This not only saves time but also ensures that everyone starts off on the right foot.

3. Standardize Processes

Consistency is key in making any business successful. Standard operating procedures help standardize processes. It will help in ensuring that tasks are done the same way every time. This consistency leads to better quality of work, improved efficiency, and ultimately, happier customers.

4. Preserve Knowledge 

In every organization knowledge is a power. SOP serves as a repository of institutional knowledge, capturing the best practices and insights gained over time. Businesses can preserve valuable knowledge by documenting these processes. It will ultimately help to prevent it from being lost when employees leave or move to different roles.

5. Assistance in Employee Training 

Training new employees or updating existing ones becomes much easier with SOPs in place. These documents act as training materials, providing a clear and structured guide for employees to refer to as they learn and develop their skills.

6. Certifying the Procedure 

SOP can also play a crucial role in ensuring that the procedures followed in a business are certified. It means the organizations procedures are recognized by relevant authorities. Businesses can demonstrate their commitment to following established protocols and industry best practices by having documented SOP.

7. Improved Communication

Clear communication is the key of a well-functioning organization. SOP facilitates improved communication by providing a common reference point for employees to consult. This minimizes misunderstandings and ensures that everyone is on the same page when it comes to executing tasks.

How to Create an SOP Document?

Here we will explore the key steps of creating an SOP Document:

1. Understand the Goal of Your SOP

Before getting into the details of SOP writing, it is important to understand the goal of your SOP. Understand what do you want to achieve with this document. Whether it is to improve communication or standardize a procedure. 

This practice will help you to understand how you can better manage specific process or task that needs to be documented. In simple words, understanding the goal of your SOP will guide you in creating a document that serves its intended purpose.

2. Enlist Business Processes that Require SOP 

Now it is time to make a list of your processes you want to create an SOP for. List the processes which are a part of your normal operations. This will help you to choose which of these are best to choose for creating an SOP document. You can make a proper selection by taking your objectives and benefits into account. 

3. Select an Adequate SOP Template and Format 

Selection of an SOP template or format should be based on the specific requirements of your organization. There is no one-size-fits for all template that you can consider for creating SOP. 

You should think about whether you need a:

• Formal document with detailed information like references and approval signatures 
• If a simple checklist will do the job. 

Using a workflow diagram can be a good way to show the steps involved in a process. Drawing quick workflow sketches can also help you gather information about the processes you need to document. If needed, make a template before you start writing.

4. Consult with Experts Who Perform Processes in Routine 

When you are asked to write SOP, you might not know all the details and steps for every process. Instead of trying to figure it all out on your own it would be better to talk to the people who actually do the work every day. 

There might already be some documents that can help you get started. However, the best info often comes from the experts and frontline workers. You will not only get better content but also empower them to contribute to the processes and documents of organization by involving them. 

You should also consider having your own team write the SOPs instead of hiring outside consultants. Some experts say that SOPs written by your own team are more respected and can bring the team closer together.

5. Identify How to Publish Your SOP

It is always a good idea to document your processes, but it is also important to make sure that these documents are easily accessible. Here is how you can ensure that the people who need these documents can easily find and use them:

• Consider storing printed sheets in binders for easy access.
• Alternatively, you can also use a digital document management system that allows everyone to access and read the documents. It will make your SOPs more accessible for everyone whether they are at the workplace or working remotely.

6. Test the SOP Against the Process 

Testing your SOP against the processes is important. You should make sure that everyone involved in these processes follow your writing. 

The testing you do will depend on:

• How much time you have?
• The number of people you have available. 
• How important the process is?

Besides all this, you must ensure that your instructions are accurate and easy to understand for everyone. 

It is always better to get your SOP document reviewed by experts once you have complete testing for a third-person perspective. It will certainly help you catch errors, if any. 

Different Structural Approaches for SOP

Here are different structural approaches for SOP:

• Simple Checklists 

Checklists are a popular tool used by maintenance teams to standardize processes. They are particularly useful for work orders with brief instructions.

Preventive maintenance often relies on checklists, which can be used in two formats:

• "Free" Format: where the order of tasks doesn't matter as long as all items are completed.
• "Step-by-step" Format is with a specific order for tasks. If you need to provide detailed instructions for each step (e.g., "replace filter" with an explanation), consider creating a hierarchical SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) instead.

• Hierarchical Lists

When there are many instructions for every step, it is better to organize your processes’ information into different sections and subsections.

In hierarchical Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the text is divided into several points (1., 1.a, 1.b). These are great for complex processes or processes with safety hazards, like installations and set-ups.

Hierarchical procedures are also helpful for training and guiding new staff, especially in industries with high turnover. Additionally, limited "what if/when" decisions can be included. For processes with many variables, a diagrammatic scheme is more suitable.

• Flow Chart 

Flow charts are the best way to show a sequence of steps that change based on the results of each step. They are helpful for reactive maintenance and troubleshooting. 

If something goes wrong, the flow chart can tell the person handling the issue to either fix it themselves or ask for technical help. Maintenance teams also use flow charts to decide how urgent a problem is, plan the repair, and decide where the repair should happen (on-site or at a workshop). This helps to ensure a consistent level of service.

Final Thoughts 

SOP is a powerful tool for any organization looking to streamline its operations. It helps to ensure consistent and high-quality performance throughout the processes of any organization. SOP when created properly can contribute to the overall efficiency, reliability, and success of a business. You can follow the detailed instructions here to benefit from creating SOP documents.