Standard Operating Procedure

Mar 09, 2023

Standard operating procedures keep business activities and general processes in check, especially when these well-thought-out and written procedures describe the standard regulations to adhere to in everyday operations. Known as a step-by-step compliance document, no company should run without a systematized standard operating procedure.

Standard Operating Procedure Definition & Meaning

Standard operating procedures refer to a well-documented list of instructions that members of an organization should rigidly follow and perform on a regular basis.

A standard operating procedure, or SOP for short, is an essential work document to outline the industry’s operational standards and regulations; thus, it improves the workflow process of employees as instructed by the company.

What Is a Standard Operating Procedure?

A standard operating procedure outlines every basic policy, standard, and task to be fulfilled by every member of a company. This type of instructional document keeps workers reminded of what tasks they are supposed to deliver on a routine basis. It briefly explains the series of required steps to accomplish until improved efficiency, productivity, and consistency are delivered.

10 Types of Standard Operating Procedures

Pharmacy Standard Operating Procedure

Those who work under pharmaceutical operations and services are expected to follow the guidelines set by the pharmacy standard operating procedure. From dispensing appropriate prescriptions, and monitoring drug quality, to managing the drug warehouse according to the demand and supply, an SOP is just as important in the pharmacy or medicine sector. Make sure the purpose of the SOP aligns with the pharmacy’s standards.

Construction Standard Operating Procedure

Construction businesses and contractors depend on an SOP just as how they regard the importance of a standard construction agreement. A construction standard operating procedure naturally talks about the construction quality methods, engineering policies, and required building processes. Refer to this document to deliver the recommended construction practices effortlessly.

Accounting Standard Operating Procedure

Finances, taxes, and accounts are the main concern for the accounting standard operating procedure. Some key standards for accounting involve position control, cash management, and budget process. Like any other standard operating procedure, be sure to outline the purpose, scope, and list of responsibilities clearly for the accounting SOP.

Nonprofit Standard Operating Procedure

Charities and nonprofit organizations have their own unique set of nonprofit standard operating procedures. For example, nonprofits would define the standard procedures allowed to support charitable missions such as blog post activity, PR, volunteer training, and more. Daily nonprofit operations will be easily familiarized after reading the nonprofit SOP.

Payroll Standard Operating Procedure

Careful considerations are always observed by accountants, HR, or the upper administration when it comes to payroll. A payroll standard operating procedure exists to enlist the step-by-step policies to process the payroll correctly and efficiently every week, month, quarter, or any other period. Refer to this document when you need the full internal controls to apply for payroll processes.

School Standard Operating Procedure

The school standard operating procedure manages a number of school-driven factors such as the food safety plan for the school cafeteria and vending machine, the emergency drill plan for school shootings, fires, and potential hazards, etc. Just be sure to specify the purpose clearly in the SOP because maybe you just want to focus on the arrival and dismissal procedures of the school rather than a general school SOP. A school SOP is too broad and would contain numerous pages without a specific scope or purpose.

Veterinary Standard Operating Procedure

Veterinarians and similar professions also follow a veterinary standard operating procedure. Examples to cover here include animal care, anesthesia, and experimental guidelines. Vets certainly know the appropriate measures in dealing with the job by basing on the standards from this kind of SOP.

Recruitment Standard Operating Procedure

The recruitment standard operating procedure helps recruiters and managers be reminded of the right ways to find the best candidates or manage the appointment processes effortlessly. Industry-approved protocols are made known thanks to the SOP. Also, this SOP explains the recruitment requirements right from the hiring process down to actual employment.

Professional Standard Operating Procedure

Simply edit a professional standard operating procedure template as your main reference to work on an SOP for general purposes. The professional SOP may tackle staff maintenance, clipart logos, finance, and other subjects. Nonetheless, any professional industry could benefit from this multifunctional SOP.

Logistics Standard Operating Procedure

Running a warehouse business or logistics company eventually leads you to drive a logistics standard operating procedure. The list of instructions in the SOP would surely help you manage logistics operations properly. In this SOP, outline as many logistics elements as possible such as warehousing, inventory management, order processing, transportation, packaging, and order monitoring.

Standard Operating Procedure Uses, Purpose, Importance

One might wonder why there is a need to write down the rules, processes, and standards by companies rather than just discuss the said operations in person. You’ll further understand the significance and reasons to keep standard operating procedures according to these major highlights:

Guaranteed Consistency

The most crucial contribution of a standard operating procedure is to practice consistency at work. Whether the standards involve manufacturing processes, laboratory protocols, customer service management, and others, SOPs are simplified versions of employment contracts when it comes to outlining the deliverables of employees in the office or workplace. Follow the rules and consistent effective or productive results would follow.

Approved Company Compliance Standards

What’s impressive about SOPs is that they aren’t randomly made but are actually tested and are in compliance with the appropriate industry standards or regulations. Following the deliverables stipulated in the SOP means you are doing the right thing as instructed by the organization. Following a document that goes in line with approved company standards will make workers more confident about being productive and successful at work.

Error Reduction

SOPs are made as an easy-to-follow visual or outline of how to do work operations appropriately, meaning it decreases the risk of issues and errors in the workplace. Obstacles would be managed as planned rather than working while confused or uncertain of what to accomplish or how to deliver tasks correctly. It is through error reduction and a well-thought-out plan that efficiency and profitability would expectedly skyrocket.

Reliable Reference for Newbies and Tenured Workers

Whether the standard operating procedure is in print form, Excel format, Word format, PPT format, or digital PDF, there is no denying that both newbies and tenured employees would benefit from the SOP. If a new employee needs help on how to do the job according to company standards, check the SOP for guidance. Meanwhile, tenured workers who forget about certain job guidelines can skim back to the SOP anytime.

Unlimited Industry Applications

Bear in mind that any type of industry could use a standard operating procedure whether you belong to the army, housekeeping, film, retail, cartoon animation, marketing campaign, restaurant, or event service sector. A standardized system in the form of SOP writing is certainly helpful for managing any business. Be sure to draft a proper SOP no matter what industry you belong to until enhanced safety, effective employee training, and positive changes are guaranteed.

What’s in a Standard Operating Procedure? Parts?

Title Page

The standard for average SOPs is to always begin with a title page. The title page gives away the introduction to your standard operating procedure.

Table of Contents

The table of contents summarizes the sections of the entire operating procedure. Besides labeling the SOP sections such as the purpose, scope, responsibilities, and more, each section’s page number will also be outlined here.

Tasks or Procedures

The main meat of the standard operating procedure would be the checklist or enumerated tasks and procedures. These procedures are what workers are expected to perform or deliver at work.

Quality Assurance or Quality Control

Besides learning what procedures and tasks to pursue, how they are done according to a quality assurance or quality control plan is paramount among SOPs. This element is critical because it is through the standardized quality requirements that make SOPs useful in the first place.

References

The references section supplies the pertinent additional information supporting the standard operating procedure. These references help credit and validate the sources of the written text in the SOP.

How to Design a Standard Operating Procedure

1. Select a proper Standard Operating Procedure Size

2. Denote the scope and purpose of the SOP

3. Edit a premade Standard Operating Procedure Template

4. Insert the standard parts of an SOP

5. Save, download, and print the template

Standard Operating Procedure vs. Work Instruction

A standard operating procedure merely outlines the summary of standardized tasks, standards, and processes to be done, especially on what quality operational standards to comply with or follow.

A work instruction is more specific compared to an SOP when it comes to explaining the instructions of how to do a task or work, such as how to carry out a task through detailed steps.

What’s the Difference between a Standard Operating Procedure, Policy, & Manual?

A standard operating procedure (SOP) document houses a variety of key objectives, instructions, processes, policies, and quality standards that must be reinforced so an organization prospers.

A policy tackles long-term objectives and goals only, meaning it doesn’t show the specific steps of how to carry out each goal.

A manual or instruction manual is a general step-by-step guide that isn’t limited to job operations or standards alone; the manual could instruct about how to use a poster machine, how to fill out a document, how to design an index icon, etc.

Standard Operating Procedure Sizes

Standard operating procedure documents have three main sizes, and they are also referred to as the standard paper format dimensions. No matter what industry you are focusing on to make an SOP with, follow the letter, legal, and A4 standard operating procedure sizes for reference.

Standard Operating Procedure Ideas & Examples

Considering that you can make an SOP for retail, manufacturing, apparel, toy, makeup, or any industry, it also means you have a breadth of standard operating procedure ideas to possibly work on. Some of the best SOP examples you can get inspiration from include:

• Nursing Standard Operating Procedure Ideas and Examples
• Maintenance Standard Operating Procedure Ideas and Examples
• Retail Store Standard Operating Procedure Ideas and Examples
• Finance Standard Operating Procedure Ideas and Examples
• Environmental Standard Operating Procedure Ideas and Examples
• Training Standard Operating Procedure Ideas and Examples
• HR Standard Operating Procedure Ideas and Examples
• Army Standard Operating Procedure Ideas and Examples
• Restaurant Standard Operating Procedure Ideas and Examples
• Warehouse Standard Operating Procedure Ideas and Examples

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