Creating SOPs That Actually Get Used: A Guide for Contractors
Intro
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are supposed to make your business run smoother. But in most contracting companies, they either gather dust or get ignored completely.
Why? Because they’re too long, too vague, or too hard to use in the field.
This guide shows you how to create simple, effective SOPs that actually help your team get the job done—faster, safer, and more consistently.
1. Start Small: Focus on High-Impact Tasks
Don’t try to SOP your entire business in one week. Start with the top 3–5 tasks that cause delays, confusion, or rework.
Great starter SOPs:
Daily jobsite setup and teardown
Equipment check-out and return
Customer communication after a job
Safety protocols for confined spaces or ladders
How to close out a job and trigger invoicing
Pro Tip: Ask your team, “Where do we keep making the same mistakes?” and start there.
2. Keep It Visual and Mobile-Friendly
Crews won’t read a 10-page PDF. Make your SOPs short, visual, and mobile-accessible.
Tips:
Use bullet points instead of paragraphs
Include checkboxes or step numbers
Add photos or short videos of the task being done correctly
Store SOPs in a mobile-friendly tool like Trainual or Google Drive
Bonus: Create QR codes that link to SOPs and post them in trucks or job trailers.
3. Use Real-World Language (Not Corporate Speak)
Your SOPs should sound like something your crew would actually say—not something written by a lawyer.
Example:
Bad: “Commence equipment inspection protocol in accordance with safety directive 4.2.”
Better: “Check the fuel, blades, and tires on the saw trailer before leaving the shop.”
Speak your team’s language—and they’ll actually follow your process.
4. Assign Ownership and Accountability
SOPs are useless if no one’s responsible for enforcing them.
What to do:
Assign a “champion” for each key process (e.g., shop lead, crew leader)
Review SOPs during onboarding and weekly team meetings
Include SOP compliance in performance reviews
Tool Tip: Use Pipedrive or Monday.com to assign SOP-related tasks and track completion.
5. Review and Improve Regularly
Every job is different, but your SOPs should evolve as your company grows. Review your most important SOPs every quarter with your team.
Ask:
What’s working well?
What’s unclear or outdated?
What needs to be added based on recent mistakes?
Continuous improvement builds buy-in and prevents outdated documents from killing your momentum.
Conclusion
Effective SOPs don’t slow your team down—they speed everything up. When your crew knows exactly what to do, they waste less time asking questions, fixing errors, or waiting for direction.
Need help building or refining SOPs that your team will actually use?
Book a free consultation with Columbus Business Consulting—we’ll help you streamline your processes without the paperwork overload.
