Given the uncertainty and disruption in today’s economic environment, it’s easy for some nonprofit organizations and their boards to let annual policy reviews slip through the cracks.
However, these are the times when policy and procedure review is most critical. Maintaining up-to-date policies and procedures helps ensure a smooth transition in the event of unexpected employee turnover, it helps minimize risks and establishes employer expectations.
The best practice is to review documented policies and procedures annually. A great way to proactively address this is to work it into the board policy or annual calendar to ensure it gets done.
Items to consider annually:
- Have there been changes to laws or regulations?
- Have there been changes to employee positions or organizational structure?
- Have there been instances during the year of policy violation that need to be addressed?
- Are current policies and procedures overly burdensome or redundant?
- Have there been changes to operations (such as work-from-home)?
Once these items have been considered, it’s time to review and update policies and procedures. It is a good idea to consult both internally, with management, supervisors, and others within the organization impacted by the changes, as well as externally with professionals such as CPAs or legal counsel when necessary.