Policies provide guidance, consistency, accountability, efficiency, and clarity on how an organization operates. This offers members of the co-operatives guidelines and principles to follow.
Guidance
- Policies define the goals of an organization and provide guidance about how to achieve objectives.
- Policies identify key activities, such as the collection of rental arrears and capital replacement planning.
- Policies also address things such as:
- general building rules
- remote working
- customer service
- no smoking
- Policies can also provide guidance for the board on how to handle issues as they arise.
Consistency
- Established policies and procedures ensure the organization’s processes do not deviate or deteriorate over time, even if key board members, contractors or employees leave.
- Consistent policies also help new board members get up to speed quickly on how the organization operates and what’s expected of them as a board member.
Accountability
- When policies and procedures are well established and consistently followed, an organization can refute allegations of unfairness or legal violations that residents may file against it.
Efficiency
- Formal, written policies and procedures improve overall organizational performance by keeping everyone “on the same page” when it comes to expectations and issues.
- While organizations can operate without written housing policies and procedures, operations tend to be much more efficient and effective with them in place.
Clarity
- When everyone is 100% clear about what needs to be done, how it needs to be done and who’s responsible for doing it, it leads to smooth operations.
