WritersInc’s New Year’s resolution for 2026?
What’s New
It’s a new year and WritersInc wishes you a happy and successful 2026.
WritersInc’s New Year’s resolution for 2026? - To become the ‘go-to’ people for documentation that works.
How is your Cyber Security?
Scams cost New Zealanders an estimated $3 billion in 2025. How secure are you?
- Most cyber incidents start with compromised logins. Are you using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication (MFA)?
- Updates fix known security holes that attackers target. Are your systems and devices kept up to date?
- People are often the weakest link, but they are also your best defence. Have you trained yourself and your staff to spot scams and phishing.
SOPs Done Right
Clear, concise writing is more than short sentences and correct punctuation although punctuation matters.
(Let’s eat, Grandma! Versus Let’s eat Grandma.)
Writing standard operational procedures (SOPs) takes skill. The writer has to consider:
- Legislation and industry standards
- What the business wants to achieve
- The readers and what each group needs
SOPs need to be written concisely in plain language. Content must be accurate and concise. This does not sound difficult. So why do some companies struggle with SOPs?
Writing takes time and it takes more time when the writer has not been trained.
Some companies lack templates and document standards. Individual writers then waste time on formatting a document and wondering what content to include and where to put it.
This results in inconsistencies, making it hard for a reviewer to spot errors and/or duplications. This lack of structure makes it difficult to ensure all the relevant information is included. It is hard to keep unstructured documents updated.
Even when SOPs have been created, many companies neglect the review process so after a while the SOPs are no longer fit for purpose.
WritersInc can:
- Design and develop templates using your company’s design standards
- Document your SOPs or train your staff to write them
- Provide assistance to implement a document management system.
Did you know?
New Zealand’s first official television transmission happened on 1st June 1960.
It was only receivable in Auckland.
Ask WritersInc
Question: Is my New Zealand Health and Safety Manual sufficient for when I undertake work in Australia?
Answer: The short answer is no.
Australia has a pro-active approach to workplace health and safety. This means there can be consequences for having unsafe work procedures even when no-one has had an accident or is harmed. New Zealand on the other hand, has a reactive approach.
Each state or territory in Australia has its own Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws and a regulator to enforce them. While much of the content in your H & S manual will apply, you must check the legislation, regulations and codes of practice for the state/territory you aim to be working in. For example, you may need to add procedures for seasonal hazards, such as working during bushfires or floods.
A few years ago, WritersInc assisted an Auckland company to write safety plans for a civil engineering project in Victoria. We found the state provided clear information and helpful templates and checklists which made it easy to develop the plans, including environmental safety plans. We made sure to alert our client to any requirements and safety issues they would not encounter in New Zealand.
Don’t forget that New Zealand has ACC. In Australia, if you are a principal contractor, employer, or sole trader hiring contractors, you must have a policy to cover employees, casuals / deemed workers for work-related injuries or illness.
Quick Quiz
1. Name the park where you could see this bridge.
2. Which three NZ words/expressions were included in the Oxford English dictionary in 2025?
3. Vespa velutina is the Latin name for what?
4. What is often called ‘the language of the universe’?
5. Why is the name Jono Ridler in the news?
Quick Quiz Answers
1. Pukekura Park, New Plymouth
2. Rark up, sweet as, mōrena
3. Yellow-legged hornet
4. Mathematics
5. Jono has been swimming, unassisted, from North Cape to Wellington to support the end to bottom trawling.