• Policies must be clear and conciseImage by Flickr.com, courtesy of David Goehring
  
  

Education

• Policy writers should be well-rounded with a solid combination of education and experience. A liberal arts degree along with a base of knowledge on what it takes to run a business would be ideal.
  
  

Procedures

• A policy writer is responsible for conceptualizing and drafting the policy; getting the necessary approvals on the draft; editing the policy; adding illustrations, charts, graphs, tables and photographs; and converting it to the proper format for computer files.
  
  

Method

• Policy writers must write with the typical reader in mind and ensure all questions policy followers might have are answered. The policy should be free of excessive technical jargon and organized in a way that would make sense to anyone responsible for adhering to policy.
  
  

Content

• All policies should be as comprehensive as possible. The policy writer is charged with ensuring the policies cover every situation that could occur while running a business, including: job descriptions, pay, benefits, employee education, legal matters, dress codes, office procedures, standards of conduct, performance evaluation, hiring and firing.
  
  

Maintenance

• Policies are not static entities. Laws, rules and procedures evolve with time and the policy writer must review policies regularly to keep them updated.