Truly inspired employee manuals weave the quality of the client experience into the manual to give employees, old and new, a perspective on the expectations of the firm with respect to how clients should be treated. If written in clear, unambiguous language, it is likely to be easier to comprehend and more efficient to administer. The most efficient manuals are those that accomplish all of these things while lifting the spirit of the employees rather than weighing them down with a list of negatives.
David L. Lawrence is a practice efficiency consultant and is president of David Lawrence and Associates (DLA), a practice-consulting firm based in Tampa, Fla. DLA publishes a monthly subscription newsletter, The Efficient Practice, which focuses on operational efficiency (www.efficientpractice.com). David is a much-sought-after public speaker on a variety of leadership, financial and technical topics. For details, visit www.davidlawrencespeaks.com.