Published 8 Sep 2023
What is a Work Instruction Template?
A work instruction template is a tool used to demonstrate specific, sequential, and detailed information on who, what, when, and how a certain task is going to perform. It provides guidance that is ideal for newly hired employees to quickly get involved in the workforce and production back up. It helps reduce the likelihood of risks and errors when executing work processes.
In this article
- What Is the Purpose of a Work Instruction Template?
- How to Write a Work Instruction
- How to Create Work Instructions
- Improve Work Instruction with Customizable Solutions with SafetyCulture
- Featured Work Instruction Templates
What Is the Purpose of a Work Instruction Template?
A work instruction template, also known as a job instruction or an operations Instruction is essential to businesses in various industries, providing a clear roadmap for achieving specific tasks and projects. It serves as a comprehensive guide to the team in performing certain tasks including the step-by-step processes, project requirements, tools, materials to be used, and other policies that will help them perform their task accurately. It also helps boost employee efficiency and productivity.
How to Write a Work Instruction
Writing work instruction is crucial as it is one of the foundations of a project. The person who will create work instructions should be well informed, trained, and oriented about the subject matter. A work instruction should be easy to comprehend, clear, and precise for every team member or stakeholder who will read and understand it as their reference. Here are steps on how to write work instructions.
- Provide General Information – Gather all the necessary information prior to constructing the work instruction including the high-level procedures, policies, and task dependencies. It is important to provide the context of the project or task assigned. Give an overview of the purpose of the job and identify the project or task owners.
- Present a Step by Step Procedure – State a clear and simple step by step details of the project. It should be easy to understand and can be followed immediately to ensure that every action is carried out by the task owners. It should also include the materials, references, or visuals to support the work instructions.
- Validate the Task – Work instructions should be written by subject matter experts (SMEs) to ensure that every detail of the instruction was accurate and within the scope of work.
- Keep it Simple – Work instructions should be user-friendly and formatted for easy reading. It should be in sequential order and refrain from using complex words such as jargon, acronyms, and technical terms that can’t be understood by the intended user. Use appropriate language and keep the work instructions short and concise.
- Test the Instructions – Test the work instruction and let a colleague follow the steps. Identify if there are confusion or unclear instructions that would lead to improper processing of the task. This would help to immediately correct the work instruction template prior to dissemination to the task owners.
- Keep It Documented – Record the work instruction and distribute them out to task owners. Ensure task owners read and validate it prior to task execution. Review the work instruction on a regular basis and update them if necessary. Save it so that anyone who may need the work instruction can access it.
How to Create Work Instructions
Here’s a quick guide on writing work instructions for your business processes and procedures:
- Identify the tasks to be completed for your business function.
- Divide them into smaller, more manageable steps.
- Define the scope, authorizations, and requirements before starting tasks.
- Provide relevant hazard information and safety warnings.
- Outline the procedure after completing the tasks and when emergencies occur.
If you’re creating work instructions for multiple tasks, ready-made templates are a great tool to simplify this process.
Improve Work Instruction with Customizable Solutions with SafetyCulture
Traditional work instruction templates printed on paper take up plenty of space and are susceptible to damage and loss. The hassle of unorganized documents, repetitive work, and inconvenient handover of work instructions can be avoided using SafetyCulture. It provides project managers, trainers, and supervisors with the resources to customize, create, and distribute work instructions—all in one easy-to-use mobile app. With SafetyCulture, they can:
- download ready-to-use work instruction templates and access them through your iOS or Android mobile device anytime, anywhere even while offline;
- take, annotate, and attach photos of work instructions for easy reference;
- easily access and share work inspection templates with any member of the organization;
- verify employee understanding of work instructions with a digital signature; and
- enjoy unlimited cloud storage for data safekeeping and easy access.
Featured Work Instruction Templates
Construction Site Work Instruction Template
This construction site work instruction template is used to confirm the verbal instructions of clients about the materials, size, or color variation prior to the submission of designs. It is also used to confirm the instructions to subcontractors prior to the revised work order. This has been converted using SafetyCulture by the Sensus Building Group, Queensland’s preferred boutique builder.
Manufacturing Work Instruction Template
A manufacturing work instruction template helps project owners to outline the framework and instructions for a specific task. It helps identify the scope of works, schedules, and step by step processes to finish a certain project.
