SOPs (standard operating procedures) are short, living documents that explain how a recurring task is done. They reduce rework, speed onboarding, and keep quality steady when someone is on leave or a new hire joins.
Start with processes you repeat weekly: how you onboard a client, close the books, publish a campaign, or hand off a support ticket. Write steps in plain language, name tools and owners, and link any templates you already use.
Keep SOPs short. One to two pages often beats a 30-page manual nobody opens. Update them when reality changes. A stale SOP is worse than none if people stop trusting it.
Use SOPs in training, not only storage. Walk a new teammate through the document once, then ask them to follow it solo and note where it was unclear. That feedback loop is how SOPs stay useful as you grow.
