The Standard Operating Procedure, or SOP, are a set of procedures described step by step to carry out each and every one of the actions in the performance of a job.
Every day more teams are composed of millennials for whom these documents (developed for previous generations) have no interest, neither for reading, nor for learning the content. Millennials are characterized by reading diagonally and by focusing their attention on the most visual contents.

Therefore, these SOPs have become obsolete, are not effective and do not fulfill what should be their main function: to ensure a level of quality through the standardization of work procedures.

At the hotel factory we are working on projects to develop SOPs adapted to the new way of learning of the 21st century. For those projects we have identified several characteristics to take into account for an effective drafting and application of SOPs for the current public:

• Feedback: the SOPs are documents that will be used in all the operational aspects of the departments, it is vital for millennials to provide their own feedback during the creation process.

• Style: the style should be consistent and follow a direct line throughout all the SOPs.

  • Concise: be clear and concentrate the essential information in each step.
  • Mandate: use of the verb at the beginning of each step for each task.
  • At first glance: avoid paragraphs and move in favor of the listed steps.

• Format: it is one of the most important elements to work in the development of SOPs. They should be offered in a friendly, visual, clean and simple distribution so that the employee has an enjoyable reading and the message is transmitted correctly. Some support elements should be used as:

  • Photos: with real people that support the description of the procedures and the addressee can be identified with.
  • Icons: simple and clean, to help the understanding of each procedure.
  • Colors: can respond to a specific brand strategy to reinforce the learning of the procedures.

• Support: millennials are the first digital native generation, so digital media are part of their essence. Therefore, SOPs must be available and accessible at all times through a digital platform. But before opting for one option or another, we must take into account the daily work of each position in order to offer the most suitable option for each one.

  • Application: the app is a complex development that can be quite expensive and long. They are an excellent tool in terms of usability. It is the best option if you want to have a project of great impact in which you want to develop, with the SOPs, a service culture and a very powerful brand identity.

    

    • Although, it should be remembered that applications must be downloaded to the devices occupying a certain storage space and with constant updates for its good performance.

• Web: it is one of the most versatile resources, the web does not require any download and can be consulted from any digital support with internet access. The recommendation is to develop a progressive web so that it can has an app appearance on the devices to make its usability much easier for users and with a personal login. In this way, the brand image and SOPs can be reinforced with additional material related to the service culture of each company.

  • However, as a point against, there is a certain concern regarding cybersecurity and the extraction of sensitive information.

• PDF: it is a document format that can be interactive and allow an easy and intuitive navigation within it. Respects the security requirements required for certain sensitive information, may have a password necessary for reading and, unless it is published on a website, can not be accessed through a hack or cyber attack.

  • On the other hand, the PDF supposes that the document must be downloaded in each device, this implies either a heavyweight document with all the SOPs, or a document for each SOP. In addition, these PDFs must be stored in a secure place to which there is constant access by employees, which implies the search for an efficient and safe document manager.

• Video: Millennials are the generation that consumes more video products ever. This is the generation that has grown with YouTube and the evolution of video consumption is palpable especially in the trend towards the format of social networks like Instagram. Therefore, in order to effectively reach the SOPs to the employees, a video support must be included in which the described procedures with real people with which they can identify themselves are developed.

However, only with the development in accordance with the described characteristics can there not be a change or a correct assimilation of the procedures by the addressees. For a correct learning of the standardized procedures it is necessary to plan a training and implementation of the SOP for all the involved actors, both for the associates as for the middle managers and department managers.
The training should be enjoyable and invite the easy understanding of each procedure and emphasize the real importance of each procedure through examples and real and daily situations that can occur in each job.

So it is recommended to make a video or any other type of audiovisual material encouraging millennials to experience and learn the procedures, situations and, finally, seeing a final result; feeling not only part of the SOP, but also of the brand.

Currently, most hotel companies have some inefficient SOPs for the current public and do not really fulfill their original purpose. The tourism sector is a changing world in which it is necessary to continually adapt to the needs of customers and the teams. At the hotel factory we have extensive experience in operational management and consulting, so we can advise our clients in the development of efficient and appropriate SOPs for the different dimensions of their company. If you have any questions or want to know more about this new segment, do not hesitate to contact us.