SOP is the abbreviation for Standard Operating Procedure. This article describes the SOP meaning and explains how to create SOPs.
A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is a detailed guide to safe, standardized and regulatory task processes. SOPs are therefore primarily concerned with ensuring that industry-specific requirements are being met. The standardization of work steps also promotes a sustainable quality system and prevents loss of working hours due to work-related accidents and similars.
In principle, standard operating procedures are suitable for all industries, but there are a number of industries where they are particularly important, such as theconstruction, manufacturing, hospitality and pharmaceutical industries.
2. How do I write a SOP? 4 important steps
3. Why is a SOP useful? The top 3 advantages for the use of SOP's in your company
4. How do I implement a SOP? 3 steps
5. How do digital technologies support the implementation of SOP's?
6. Summary
In principle, every work process should be documented. However, in these five cases you should definitely make use of SOP's:
A SOP is a comprehensible guide for action steps during a work process. With the following 4 steps you can start directly with your instruction:
Planning is half the battle - this statement is the base of the SOP principle. With the help of standard operating procedures, you can design a high-quality, safe and profitable company with comparatively little effort.
In the following paragraph you will find 3 essential advantages for the implementation of SOPs:
A corporate concept is particularly convincing when it is structurally sophisticated and is characterized by consistent and sustainable quality. In this context, the quality manager plays an important role. In order to meet customer expectations, work processes should always be carried out in the same way to ensure a satisfactory product and to safeguard the company's reputation.
The SOP makes considerable contribution to the security policy in the company. Employees should be informed about hazards and risks and be trained to deal with them properly. With a detailed guideline, which breaks down all possible questions, you inform and train your employees and sensitize them for the correct execution of work processes.
The standardization of work processes leads to fewer work-related failures and to continuous quality. This also creates satisfaction on the part of the customers, which enables the highest possible profitability to be ensured.
A SOP serves the well-being of the employees as well as the company. It is crucial not only to implement it as a mandatory requirement, but also to make employees aware that it should be seen as a help and support for the staff.
The SOP should not only be accessible to all personnel everywhere and at all times, but should also be actually read and used. In some cases, it is even mandatory by law to take note of the work instruction and must be documented by employees.
For trainings, which should introduce the SOP's, it should be possible to ask questions. The personnel should know whom they can contact at any time in case of queries.
Despite the personal responsibility of employees, it is essential to regularly check the correct execution of activities and to warn punctual violations, or to react to repeated ones with a termination.
With Lumiform's digital app and software, you can easily create a SOP and let your employees use it as a digital questionnaire while they work. After each access you will be notified and receive a regular and automatic report about all developments, which you can send by e-mail to the responsible persons for further evaluation. You can also use our free SOP checklists and adapt them to the individual needs of your company.
Use this Bathroom Cleaning SOP Checklist to properly clean the bathroom and assure SOP compliance. See template
Use this template for the process of sweeping, dusting, and cleaning of hotels or office corridors See template
Use this General Kitchen Cleaning SOP Checklist to keep a clean and sanitised restaurant. See template
A manufacturing SOP Compliance Template is used to ensure that workers follow the prescribed SOPs for operations. See template
Use this SOP template to prevent food-borne diseases by assuring that all food contact surfaces are cleaned. See template
A tablet compression SOP template is used to ensure that the correct steps are taken by lab personnel when using the tablet press. See template