Step 7: Policy Review and Update

Your policies should be scheduled to be reviewed and updated regularly. A reasonable period between complete reviews is two to three years, although some guidelines require certain policies to be reviewed annually. Policies that are affected by changes to government legislation should be reviewed as soon as there are any changes to the law.

Your board may also set a timeframe for the review of policies. It can be helpful to provide the governing authority with a report on how policies are applied and any revisions that are being considered to the policies.

When reviewing policies consider the following:

• Has the legal environment or regulations changed in a way that impacts the policy? At a minimum, you will want to review employment/labour standards, privacy legislation, occupational health and safety, human rights, and workers' compensation?
• Has the policy been effectively implemented?
• How effective has it been in dealing with relevant situations?
• What feedback have you received from managers and employees on the policy?
• Is the policy accomplishing the objective for which it was intended?
• Changes to policies will usually require it goes through your organisation’s approval process.