#5 Tell people
Ok, so this may seem obvious but it is interesting how many companies have expenses policies but the only time that they get referred to is when an employee starts their job or when the policy has been breached!
Our belief is that prevention is better than cure so actually telling people, ideally face to face, that an expenses policy exists is our first suggestion.
The delivery method is important (a company meeting, email or webinar, for example) but not as important as the fact that you actually choose to communicate with your staff and you’ll find that this pays massive dividends in the future.
#4 Company intranet
There are so many different ways that companies talk to their staff nowadays whether it be Trello, Sharepoint or even bespoke websites.
Whatever central method you use you should make sure that your expenses policy is on there and is easy to find.
It could be a link in an employee policies menu or even have its own section, but having a centrally available location, where versions can be controlled is a big plus and it gives employees the chance to see the latest version at the click of a mouse.
#3 Online training
Online training delivery is a brilliant way to give everybody initial and annual refresher training on your expenses policy.
Modern systems are easy to set up, easy to use and have the advantage that you can test people’s understanding of what they have just seen and also track who has and who hasn’t gone through the training.
These systems are simple to use. All it takes is a little bit of time to understand the process and then write up your lessons and tests.
#2 Use video
Video used to be out of reach for all but the biggest companies, but today we can make simple, effective and good-looking videos with something as common as a phone.
They don’t need to be too long and if your company culture can handle it, they can be made amusing to get people engaged.
A short video, just to introduce the policy and signpost people to where they can find more information is unbelievably effective.
But imagine how much more powerful it could be to produce a short video, and distribute it to staff, when you make a significant change to your policy.
Just running through the changes in a light-hearted and engaging way gets people thinking about the rules and how they are applied and is so much better than a dry email.
#1 As part of the onboarding process
This is, in our opinion the absolute best way to introduce people to your expenses policy.
When they start with your company people aren’t going to be bogged down in the day to day minutiae of their role, instead they have the time to understand and inwardly digest the policy and its implications.
It is also a fact that when we start with a new employer we are more enthusiastic, less entrenched and less change-resistant and so getting in right at the start and letting people know exactly what is and what isn’t allowed is vital.
Make an introduction to all of your policies and procedures a cornerstone of your onboarding process and see how it positively affects your compliance.
Remember – communication is the key
We’ve introduced a few ways that an expenses policy or updates can be effectively communicated to your staff.
Open, transparent and regular communication makes a massive difference to staff relations and by getting the tone and method right for your organisation you can ensure that your staff are well informed and play by the rules.
If you’re interested in updating your Expenses Policy and further ways you can help communicate it to your staff, visit our free Expenses Policy Toolkit to get best practice, templates, guides and more.