Policy and procedures for meetings

Posted by Philip Baskerville in Aug, 2013

What are policy and procedures for meetings?

Policy and procedures for meetings are a very important part of the formal meeting process because they set out what can and cannot be decided in meetings, as well as ensuring that certain conventions are adhered to at that meeting.

What are policy and procedures for meetings like?

Policies and Procedures for meetings are like the rules in sport. They have been designed to protect the players as well as to ensure that the game is fair.

What is the purpose of policy and procedures for meetings?

Policies and procedures for meetings are designed to represent the interests of those who attend the meeting as well as those who are not at the meeting, such as shareholders and the general public. In some areas, there are formal policies and procedures, which are legal requirements and are designed to ensure that all formal meetings are transparent and the participants are accountable.

What are the different types of policy and procedures for meetings?

Legal Requirements – These are policies and procedures which are required from some organisations by law. An agenda, a chairperson and formal minutes of the meeting are legal requirements in many places, and consider good business practice in others. In many countries, an agenda and minutes of the meeting must be stored indefinitely.

Organisational Requirements – these requirements are not formally required by law, but may have been introduced to increase transparency, protect the shareholders or to ensure that employees can operate in a safe workplace, which is free from health hazards or prejudices.

What’s involved with policy and procedures for meetings?

Although many policies and procedures are legal requirements in formal business meetings, others are agreed on by the attendees of the meetings. If meetings are regular, attendees may come up with their own agreed policies and procedures during the first meeting. These policies may then be debated again in later meetings if the participants wish. Some formal meetings at high levels in a company may serve to decide on an official policy which must then be respected by all of the employees in the company.

Where do policy and procedures fit into organisational governance?

As well as being designed to ensure that each meeting runs smoothly, some policies and procedures have been designed to protect the rights of company shareholders and to ensure that they receive equitable treatment. The interests of other stakeholders may also be protected. Having an entrenched set of policies and procedures also helps to ensure the integrity and ethical behaviour of the organisation, by promoting disclosure and transparency at all levels.

How do policy and procedures impact on a meeting?

Policies and procedures can have an impact on what can be discussed at a meeting (i.e. nothing illegal may be discussed), how things may be discussed (participants must be respectful in their discussions), and what they can do in meetings (participants may be prevented from smoking during the meeting).

What terms are used in complying with policy and procedures for meetings?

Agenda – This is distributed to attendees before the meeting and sets out a plan for the meeting.
Chairperson – Someone must be appointed to head the meeting and ensure that other policies are enforced.
Quorum – A certain number of people need to be present at the meeting at the time when a vote takes place, in order to ensure that the vote is fair and representative.
Minutes – The minutes are a formal record of what occurred at the last meeting, and what was decided upon.

Where can I find more information about policy and procedures for meetings?

http://www.diycommitteeguide.org/article/how-develop-policies-and-procedures
http://www.companydirectors.com.au/Director-Resource-Centre/Director-QA/Board-Meetings
http://www.pilch.org.au/meetings/

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