Isn't It Time to Let Go?

When was the last time you reviewed your company’s policies and procedures?

If you reviewed them recently, did you walk away feeling confident that they are still relevant to the changing world of work??

While I am not advocating that you revamp all your policies, I want to remind you that what worked yesterday may not work today. For example, it may be time to tweak the policy that demands that employees show up to a physical office instead of working from home.

The same is true for the length of the workdays.?Is a 40-hour work week still necessary? Aren’t there instances where employees can fulfill their job commitments in less time??

Are you paying employees for the hours they put in or for what they put into the hours??

What about the policy that mandates promotion from within?

Are you holding on to that policy solely because of the value that comes with continuity? Is it not true that that policy might deny your organization an opportunity to attract new talent ? outside talent?

Then, there is the Last-in, First-out policy. Can I not argue that such a policy promotes mediocrity?

Would your organization not benefit more from replacing that policy with one that places a higher premium on productivity than on tenure? Such a policy might be the panacea that turns disengaged employees into engaged employees.

There is also a policy that mandates a college degree as a requirement for employment. While a college degree helps you screen out potential candidates, it also prevents your company from recruiting and hiring candidates who may have the intangibles your organization needs more than the candidates with degrees.

While I am not advocating that you throw out the baby with the bath water, I am asking that you do all you can to ensure that the policies you hold on to have not outlived their usefulness. It might be time to let some of them go.