A business manual is the backbone of your company, the encyclopedia for your business. It not only informs everyone of their precise functions, who they are responsible to, and who they are responsible for but reduces the likelihood of human error. It contains pre-approved standard operating procedures as well as a description of the organisational hierarchy, contact details for key personnel, and emergency procedures.
As the knowledge base of the organisation, the business manual should be available for reference whenever needed. It should also be reviewed and updated periodically to ensure that it remains current and relevant to the ever-changing landscape.
The challenge when writing a business manual is to include enough detail to provide a comprehensive knowledge base for your team but not so much that it becomes tedious and boring to read. Striking a balance between the two is an art in of itself as providing too much detail may cause them to skip the instructions or be more confused or too little detail and they will not have enough information to correctly and consistently perform a task.
- Organisational hierarchy
- Job descriptions
- Contact details
- Documented processes
- Emergency procedures
Organisational hierarchy
Much like a family tree, it explains the layout of the company and who reports to whom and who they report to. While the design may vary greatly depending on the size of your company, it is recommended to create a visual flowchart rather than a lengthy and wordy document. Refrain from using names, where possible, and use job titles instead. This way your business manual will not need to be updated every time someone leaves or a new person fills a position.
Job descriptions
While an incredibly detailed job description is not necessary, it should provide a basic description of each job, outline its role and responsibilities in the company, who they report to, and who reports to them. This way, if an employee requires assistance, they need only skim the chart and learn who to contact and confirm it by glancing at the job description.
Contact details
It is a good idea to provide the contact details for all your employees as well as third-parties with whom your company frequently collaborates. Although this section can be combined with the job description section, having a separate list would not only make it easier to skim through but easier to update should someone leave the position.
Documented processes
This is the meat and potatoes of your business manual and, as such, is the largest most tedious section to compile. The trick is to record them as and when new tasks are created in a comprehensive, consistent, and easy to follow manner. As consistency throughout the document is key, it is recommended to have a set of templates prepared for varying categories; such as accounting processes or editing checklist. This will not only make the task of compiling and recording processes easier but also makes it easier for employees to quickly navigate the manual and locate the relevant information.
Emergency procedures
An “emergency” could mean anything from a breach in server security to an onsite fire that could result in damage to your company's tangible and intangible assets. This includes situations that could damage your company's image or reputation to damage to property, inventory, and more importantly your employees. Therefore, it is prudent to plan for most eventualities and draft a procedure for dealing with these situations when they arise to limit the damage.
- Call:
- Text:
- E-mail:
Why Choose Us?
We are second to none in providing pre- and post-investment solutions to foreign and domestic direct investors in Malaysia. Our strong presence has enabled us to not only form strategic partnerships with our clientele but also provide them with tactical advice in strategic and government-related affairs. SK International is uniquely positioned to aid your business venture with relocation, entrepreneurship, roll-outs, and operational upscaling in a productive and sustainable way due to our close working-relationships with national and regional authorities in Malaysia.