At Niibin Advisory Services, we specialize in organizational and governance policy development for Indigenous community organizations. Often, organizations rely on outdated policies that no longer reflect their current environment and objectives. We work with our clients to critically assess their policy needs, ensuring they support, rather than hinder, important work and goals. Here are some signs that it may be time to update your policies!
If your policies were written when fax machines were commonly used, then it might be time to revisit them. Today’s decisions, communication, documentation, and collaboration heavily rely on technology that has emerged very recently. Make sure your operational or governance policies reflect the tools and technologies you currently use.
The pandemic has brought huge changes to work environments, priorities, planning and decision-making processes. Some operational policies should now include emergency planning or enhanced health and safety measures. Work arrangements have shifted, making some policies irrelevant. There may also be a need to consider work from home policies and the need to factor in electronic signing and authorization mechanisms.
Do not forget about your strategic policies and policy papers. They might need new input and considerations based on your community’s experiences during the pandemic and shifting priorities.
Mental and emotional wellbeing are more important than ever. Older policies are often written in a punitive or authoritative tone with little room for reflection, conversation, and flexibility. Promoting wellbeing and psychological safety is a priority for many organizations. It might be time to revise your policy framework to reflect your commitment to wellbeing, trauma-informed practices, restorative justice and healing.
Likewise, do your policies reflect and support the diversity within your organization or do you need new policies that promote and strengthen diversity and inclusion in the workplace?
We have been fortunate to work with groups engaging in or reintroducing their nation’s laws and principles into their work. Policies that rely on conventional, corporate language can be ineffective in creating an inclusive workplace for Indigenous employees and knowledge, an in some cases could even be detrimental. It might be time to simplify, eliminate or create documents that supports the Indigenous laws and principles that you follow.
These signs indicate that your organization might benefit from a fresh look at your policies. While policy development might not be fun for everyone, our approach aims to foster meaningful conversation and ensures your policies are effective and relevant. Reach out to us with your questions!
