5 Tips for Developing Policies for Your Business

1. Think ahead. Establish policies before you need them. Doing so helps avert crises and awkward situations, and helps solve problems before they arise.

2. Determine what policies you need. Some you'll want early in your business include a mission statement, as well as compensation, performance evaluation and employee policies.

3. Get input from key employees, as well as from members of your advisory board, your board of directors, and/or your professional advisors and consultants.

4. Communicate policies to everyone in your business.

5. Review policies on a regular basis—once a year, for example—and revise them as necessary.