When HR Policies Fail

HR policies fail to support you and your team when they are out of date or missing altogether! Most companies don’t intend to operate without up-to-date policies. What usually happens is policies were written years ago, copied from a template, or created when the organization looked very different. Things worked well enough — until suddenly they didn’t.

When policies are outdated, inconsistent, or missing altogether, issues tend to surface at the worst possible time: during conflict, complaints, terminations, or growth. And by then, the damage is often already done. Situations like this might look like:

• A remote work policy that doesn’t exist, leading to inconsistent approvals and resentment across teams

• A harassment policy that hasn’t been updated in years, leaving leaders in a compliance violation and unsure how to respond to a complaint

• No clear attendance expectations, resulting in frustration when performance issues arise

• Termination decisions made without a policy framework, increasing risk and cost

So why are policy gaps so common?

Policy gaps are so common and they rarely come from bad intentions. More often, they come from:

• Rapid growth without formal HR infrastructure

• Long-standing practices that were never documented

• Policies written once and never revisited

• A belief that “we’ll deal with it if it comes up”

The challenge is that when expectations aren’t clearly documented, decisions start to feel subjective — and that’s where risk increases.

What’s the Big Deal?

Outdated or missing policies don’t usually fail quietly. They show up in real, uncomfortable situations.

• Inconsistent Decision-Making: Without clear policies, similar situations are handled differently depending on the manager, the employee, or the timing. Even when leaders are trying to be fair, inconsistency can quickly turn into perceived favouritism or bias.

• Escalated Employee Issues: When expectations aren’t clear, employees don’t know where the line is — until they’ve crossed it. This can lead to:

  • Disciplinary issues that feel sudden or unfair

  • Complaints about treatment or process

  • Frustration on both sides of the conversation

• Increased Legal and Compliance Risk: Outdated policies may not reflect current legislation or workplace standards. Relying on them — or having none at all — can expose organizations to:

  • Employment standards violations

  • Human rights complaints

  • Difficulty defending decisions if challenged

• Manager Burnout: Managers are often left to make judgment calls without guidance. Over time, this leads to hesitation, stress, and decision fatigue — especially when situations escalate.

The Risk of Waiting

Many organizations only look at policies after something goes wrong. By that point, leaders are often reacting under pressure rather than acting strategically.

Proactively reviewing and updating policies allows organizations to:

• Address gaps before they turn into issues

• Align policies with current operations and values

• Support managers with clear guidance

• Create a more consistent employee experience

Policies work best when they’re clear, current, and aligned with how the organization actually operates. Investing time in reviewing and updating them before problems occur is one of the most effective ways to reduce risk and support both leaders and employees.

If you’re not sure when your policies were last reviewed — or whether they reflect your current workplace — it may be time to take a closer look.