What does policy actually mean, anyway?

This post is written by Mark Sutherland, policy analyst, Provincial Health Services Authority of British Columbia, Canada

The problem: Most people don’t know the difference between a policy, procedure, protocol, guideline and standard.
Why it matters: The content that is appropriate for each document type differs, and this has an impact on its users.
The solution: Think in terms of outcomes when determining the right type of document for the task or situation at hand.

I acknowledge my place of work is within the ancestral, traditional and unceded territory of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Have you ever heard someone reference a policy but they actually meant a procedure, protocol, guideline or standard? Different types of documents are created to achieve different goals and have variable implications for staff adherence.

Generally, a policy addresses the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘when’ through clear, concise, non-negotiable formal statements that provide overarching guiding principles and rules. They are often secondary to legislation and by-laws, and all people in scope of the policy are expected to adhere to the policy.

Language matters. When a staff member reads through a procedure and expects to find a step-by-step process to complete a task, but instead finds high level guiding principles and rules, this can lead to confusion and frustration that they don’t have the information they need at hand.

Process documents, such as procedures, protocols, guidelines and standards, address the ‘how’ in their own specific way. A procedure is written in the command form (i.e. start the sentence with a verb), providing step-by-step instruction for a task that staff are expected to complete in the same way each time, like a recipe. Protocols are quite similar though they tend to have branching logic and ‘if/then’ statements to navigate anticipated branching points in the task. Guidelines describe recommended actions for a more variable task that allow for professional judgment – novice staff might be more reliant on a guideline than an expert staff member. Standards are trying to set a benchmark for a task that users are expected to meet or exceed – any performance below the benchmark would be considered unacceptable.

Think back

Most people can probably recall a standstill at work on a given topic or situation which resulted in one person asking ‘what’s the policy?’. While they said ‘policy’, they might have meant a procedure, protocol, guideline or standard. This can be compounded when other staff groups have developed a document that they have mislabelled as a policy when it is actually a procedure, or vice versa.

Language matters. When a staff member reads through a procedure and expects to find a step-by-step process to complete a task, but instead finds high level guiding principles and rules, this can lead to confusion and frustration that they don’t have the information they need at hand. Similarly, when staff are seeking recommended actions via a guideline but instead find a step-by-step procedure that doesn’t allow for their professional judgment, they might be less trusting of the group that has developed the mislabelled document. Often, staff groups will mix policy, procedures, procedures, guidelines and standards into a single document and cause it to have a bit of an ‘identity crisis’. When this occurs, the document tends to provide inconsistent and unclear guidance on the topic.

Whether you’re developing a document from scratch or pursuing a document to support your work, it’s important to think about it from an outcomes perspective. If you’re looking for a document with high level guiding principles or rules that outline roles and responsibilities, you’re probably after a policy. If you need a step-by-step process to complete a task, it’s likely a procedure. Or if you’d just like some recommended actions for a task that leaves room for professional judgment, seek out some guidelines. And if you’re not sure where to start, connect with your local policy analyst or policy office for support.

When referencing a ‘policy’, ensure that it is a policy. Otherwise be clear that you’re referencing a procedure, protocol, guideline or standard. Different types of documents have different implications in terms of use and adherence.

The Policy Puzzle FINAL (Image Credit: Bonnie Cai)