Work instructions are used when working with a team or directing work to a subcontractor. Work instructions can help prevent mistakes, review processes, and improve work efficiency.
However, work instructions differ depending on the industry and type of work, and if there is no template, the work instructions must be created from scratch. For this reason, there are many people who would like to create work instructions effectively but have not yet taken the plunge.
In this issue, we will focus on the items required for work instructions and 4 recommended templates for bellow people.
- “I want to solve the work errors and miscommunication that are occurring onsite.”
- “It is troublesome to create work instructions from scratch, so we want a template.”
- “We want to know how to easily manage the increasing number of documents in my company.”
If you are in charge of such a situation, this article will not only help you create appropriate work instructions, but also help you find a way to organize all your documents.
Contents
- 1 What is the need for a work instruction?
- 2 What is a work instruction form?
- 3 What items are necessary in a work instruction for the construction industry?
- 4 [Excel/Word] 4 free work instruction templates
- 5 The best tool that makes it easy to create work instructions
- 6 Summary of items is needed in work instructions and 4 templates
What is the need for a work instruction?
A work instruction is a document that is related to work discussions and work communication. There are 4 purposes for creating a work instruction.
- To ensure that work proceeds reliably and efficiently
- To record and manage work content
- To communicate important information
- To ensure that work is performed in accordance with legal requirements
Thus, the purpose behind the creation of work instructions is to ensure that the work is performed properly. Any inadequacy in form or content will have a negative impact on the work and cause problems.
Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that you know how to write work instructions correctly.
What is a work instruction form?
Work instructions vary in style and content depending on the industry and type of business. However, in general, the following items are often provided, so it is important to check them.
Basic Items
Basic items are highly versatile and can be used to create instructions for a variety of situations.
| Required Items | Details |
|---|---|
Name of work | The name of the work to be performed. In the manufacturing industry, this could be inspection, assembly, processing, etc. |
Duration and Date | Describe the period and date of the work to be performed. Be sure to make this clear so as not to cause delays or other problems. |
Name of the person in charge | To clarify to whom the instructions are directed, specify the person in charge of the work. |
Client’s name | Specify the customer who requested the construction, production, or work. Also include contact information such as telephone number and e-mail address. |
Work time | If the work time is predetermined, state it; if it is undetermined, write the estimated time of the work. |
Work location | For example, if you are in the cleaning business, describe the actual location of the work, such as the floor. |
When preparing the instructions, take sufficient care to ensure that the above information is included.
Work description
Next, the work description should clearly state what needs to be done and the procedures to be followed.
It is important to use bullet points and be aware of the structure of the text, as it must be accurately conveyed to the person to whom you wish to give instructions.
In this way, you should include details, if necessary, so that the person in charge of the work can easily understand it.
Work Schedule
Finally, the work schedule should describe the work to be performed and specific instructions.
In addition to giving instructions to the person in charge of the work, you can also explain the members who will be involved in the work to convey the scale of the work to be performed.
In this way, by keeping a detailed work schedule, it is possible to avoid large discrepancies between the schedule and actual results. In addition, in order to keep the work on schedule more accurately, it is also effective to use tools such as Stock to manage the progress of each process.
What items are necessary in a work instruction for the construction industry?
The best work instructions for the construction industry contain the items necessary for safe work. Therefore, those involved in the construction industry should also pay close attention to the following items.
Work-to-Work instructions
First, the inter-work communication item should contain what has been decided in the coordination discussion.
If inter-work communication is not communicated, it will lead to lack of coordination, discrepancies in perception, and stagnation of work. In addition, if shared items are not communicated, labor accidents due to mixed work may occur.
Therefore, it is important to ensure that each contractor understands the contents and can proceed with the work. For example, simply being aware of the 5W2H (who, when, where, why, what, how, and how much) will make it easier to communicate.
Safety instructions for prime contractors
The prime contractor safety instructions are items that are directed by the prime contractor to the job site.
The prime contractor has a duty of care for safety and employer’s responsibility to the subcontractor. So, if a work-related accident occurs due to safety management at the site, the prime contractor is required to pay compensation.
Therefore, keeping detailed records regarding the work process and equipment used will help ensure that the work is done safely.
Possible additional items
Depending on the size of the business and the nature of the work, there may be additional items that need to be made known from time to time in the construction industry. The following are some of the most common examples
- The number of heavy equipment and vehicles scheduled to be in operation
- Scheduled site inspections and attendance
The exact number of heavy equipment and vehicles that will be needed on site.
If there will be safety inspections of equipment or vehicles or the presence of a responsible person, detail the date, time, and duration. These items are important for the overview of the site. On the other hand, if the items change frequently, it is troublesome to find and edit the file.
Therefore, if your team are not good at file management using Word or Excel, you need a notebook-type tool that anyone can easily use, such as Stock.
[Excel/Word] 4 free work instruction templates
Below are 4 templates that can streamline the creation of work instructions. All of these sites have templates that you can customize after downloading, so they are a must-see.
(1) Smartsheet
This is a work instruction template provided by Smartsheet.
It is a template with columns for describing work introduction in detail, so it can be put into operation immediately.
Since the columns are wide, so you can describe not only by text, but also picture.
(2) Templatelab
This is a template for work instructions provided by Templatelab.
As the items for instruction is divided in detail, complying instruction items from upper to lower, makes the members understand thier tasks correctly. You can freely customize it to suit your purpose, adding items according to your industry or business type.
(3) Template.net
This is a work order template provided by Template.net.
This template of Template.net is available as standard operating procedures and instruction manual. Therefore, it is suitable for the middle-large team that people are composed by the people doing same tasks.
(4) Type Calendar
This is a work order template provided by Type Calendar.
This template of Type Calendar is available for research and development site. Since example sentences are already written, so the members that is the first time to edit work instruction can make it smoothly.
The best tool that makes it easy to create work instructions
Here we introduce best tool that make it easy to create and manage work instructions.
Word and Excel templates are convenient, but when files are disorganized, proper management becomes difficult, and it becomes hard to find the work instruction the member need. Therefore, you should utilize a “notebook tool” that allows you to manage all of your team’s information together and create a system that makes it easy to access the information you need.
By centrally managing information for the team on the tool, you will always be able to keep track of the latest information. However, even if you introduce a multifunctional tool, members with low IT literacy will not be able to use it and will leave it behind.
In conclusion, the one that should be introduced is Stock, which is easy to use even for non-IT company members over 65 years old and can store any file in a “Note”.
While keeping work instructions and other files in the “Note” of Stock, it synchronizes updated information in real time. In addition, “Task” and “Message” are tied to the Note, so there is no need to worry about the progress of each job or the communication between members getting mixed up or flowing.
Stock｜A tool that even 65-year-olds who are not good at IT can quickly use
The simplest tool to stock information "Stock"
https://www.stock-app.info/en/
Stock is the simplest tool to stock information. Stock solves the problem, "there is no easy way to stock information within the company".
With Stock, anyone can easily store all kinds of information, including text information such as requirements, images, and files, using the Note feature.
In addition, by using the "Task" and "Message" functions, you can communicate with each topic described in the Note, so that information is not dispersed here and there and work can always be carried out in an organized manner.
＜Why do we recommend Stock?＞
- A tool for companies that are not familiar with ITYou don't need to have any IT expertise to get started.
- Simple and usable by anyoneStock is so simple that anyone can use it without any unnecessary features.
- Amazingly easy information storing and task managementIt is amazingly easy to store information such as shared information within a company, and intuitive task management is also possible.
＜Stock's pricing＞
- Free plan ：Free
- Business plan ：$5 / User / Month
- Enterprise plan ：$10 / User / Month
Summary of items is needed in work instructions and 4 templates
We have focused on work instruction items and 4 templates for it.
A work instruction serves to accurately convey the work to be requested and is essential for all members to have a common understanding of the work to be done. When creating work instructions, using Word or Excel templates can shorten the time required, but if the files are disorganized, they can be troublesome to manage.
Therefore, a notebook-type information management tool should be utilized to manage the team’s information in a “Note” format. However, since a high level of IT literacy is required to master a multifunctional tool, “a tool with no excessive or insufficient functions” should be introduced.
In conclusion, the best choice is Stock, which has no shortage of “Note”, “Task”, and “Message” functions, and provides easy access to up-to-date information.
It only takes 1 minute to register for free, so using Stock and take the burden out of managing your information.
