Educating staffs on company policy - it is difficult to take action against an employee

Dear all, Kindly share with me your expertise on how to educate employees on company policy. In my company’s culture, it is difficult to take action against an employee if he says he isn’t familiar with the policy. Appreciate your support on this.
Thanks

Dear Visham
I am also one of them who is not familiar with my complacency's culture. even how they consider SL, CL, n PL that also not creak. HR decides at his own.
Ridiculous.
Bharat Boricha.

Hi Visham,

There are couple of ways to ensure that the employees read, understand and give an acknowledgement to the policies as an acceptance.

1. Create a PPt / Word circular of the main points of each policy and email to all if you feel that all will read the compressed data than going through the whole booklet.

2. Take a print out of the above and circulate it as a hard copy and attach the list of employees to sign acknowleging that they have read and accept the policies. This you can file it and use it whenever anyone comes to you saying that they do not know the policy. And those who do not sign can be questioned by you in front of their seniors or who ever is the authoritative person to question them.

3. One more way is to create a questionnaire and do a quiz. whoever scores above a certain benchmark is rewarded and the rest are requied to do the test again.

I am sure the above (anyone as per your organization culture) will serve the purpose. I have done all three in my last organization and guess what, no one has ever questioned the policies. We also ensure that new joinees go through it on their first day as a part of their induction.

Hi Friend,
You may give a handbook to all employees
You may conduct some quizzes on company policy and follow regularly during some events.
For new comers, conduct a test by set of questionnaire's.
Thanks,
Jana

HI VISHAM,
JHUMA AND JANARTHANAN HAVE GIVEN GOOD SUGGESTIONS. FOLLOW IT. Conducting quiz will be really be effective and filled with fun and they will learn things easily.
Some companies put them in core issues on the computer and this is accessible to all employees of the company through a password. They may go to that site and read, understand and digest it.
M.J. SUBRAMANYAM, BANGALORE

Well, Few suggestions have been made. All are valid methods of training and orienting the employees towards a company culture. But Let me ask you one thing, are all staff permanent? If you hire people on contract basis, then a structured Induction Programme which includes orientation of all employees towards the orgnisation culture and ethics; will definitely pave your way to a secure and systematic future. Otherwise, as suggested, circulars for all employees to attend few prientation programmes and make some exemplary cases of disciplines will again be one of the methods to bring change.

A change agent is one of the ideal startegy I think in your case. Maldives is a 'cool' country and people are used to a very 'cool' kind of environment. But this will not help any organisation grow. Some discipline has to be maintained. Some senior and sincere employees may be roped in to propagate the work ethics among the younger generation. And if required, a committee may be framed to decide some action on diciplinary grounds. One or two harsh examples can bring the system into place. But, Harsh steps should be the last resort. As a manager, it is best to adopt a collaborative approach and proceed in a step wise manner...

J S Murli, Male'