IT Policies & Procedures: Types, Importance & Best Practices

What Are IT Policies and Procedures?

IT policies and procedures are the rules and frameworks that anchor your organization’s tech infrastructure. 

More specifically, IT policies are high-level principles that define what your organization deems acceptable, secure, and compliant within your IT environment. An example: Disaster recovery policy, designed to keep an organization’s IT running during and after a natural calamity or cyber attack. 

IT procedures, on the other hand, are documented, step-by-step instructions that detail how to implement these policies. They outline specific IT tasks and processes, and help handle technical operations within an organization. 

For instance, one procedural requirement for the disaster management policy could be to store backups off-site or in a secure cloud environment with multi-factor authentication.

Unlike guidelines, which are more about recommendations, IT policies and procedures are non-negotiable in nature. They define your organization’s boundaries on everything from data access to handling incidents.  

The Importance of IT Policies and Procedures

Let’s say you have a Data Access Control Policy. This policy enforces that only specific, authorized users can access critical information. With this policy, you effectively limit the "attack surface" for malicious actors and protect against data breaches. 

But are policies like these essential? Yes. Without this specific policy, any user—even those without a legitimate need—could gain access to sensitive information. This would eventually lead to accidental or malicious data leaks, compromised intellectual property, and severe financial and reputational damage. 

Here’s how your organization benefits from them:

• IT policies and procedures set the rules upfront, so everyone—from new hires to veteran staff—knows exactly what’s acceptable. 

• They help you build a defense line against data breaches, malware, and unauthorized access.

• Policies and procedures provide a roadmap to fulfill compliance requirements—it becomes far easier for audits to pass audits without last-minute scrambling.

• Incident response and disaster recovery policies guarantee that you’re prepared for the worst.

• They establish accountability since they define who does what and when, so there’s a clear record of everything.

• Instead of reacting to problems, IT policies and procedures help anticipate and eliminate potential risks before they become costly issues.

Difference Between IT Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines

You must know the distinctions between policies, procedures, and guidelines to establish a controlled IT environment.

• IT Policies: These are your organization’s “ground rules” for handling IT. They set the standards and expectations and cover everything from data security to acceptable use. They are the "why" behind your IT rules.

• IT Procedures: These are the step-by-step instructions that tell you exactly how to carry out a policy. They’re practical, actionable steps that make the policies work. If a policy says “secure all sensitive data,” the procedures detail the how—like the encryption methods to be used or the required storage locations.

• IT Guidelines: These are the recommended best practices and tips that aren’t mandatory but steer the team in the right direction. They guide you toward the best ways to use technology without being as strict as policies or procedures.

Some Essential IT Policies and Procedures Your Organization Must Have

Here are some standard IT policies and procedures you can tweak per your business requirements.

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

The Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) defines the boundaries for how employees and third-party users interact with your organization’s IT resources, including networks, devices, software, and data.

This policy sets clear guidelines on what’s allowed and off-limits to help prevent any misuse that could put security, compliance, or operational efficiency at risk. 

It spells out acceptable and unacceptable behaviors—like banning unauthorized personal use on corporate devices, restricting access to high-risk websites, and blocking the installation of unapproved software.

Without an AUP, you risk exposing their networks and devices to unauthorized, non-secure activities, leading to potential data leaks, malware infections, or compromised network integrity.

Procedure: The usual AUP implementation procedure includes defining acceptable and prohibited behaviors for using company resources, enforcing compliance through monitoring, and periodic user training.

Data security policy

You’ll find a data security policy in almost all organizations. You’ll find a data security policy in nearly all organizations. It outlines measures to protect sensitive organizational data from unauthorized access, theft, corruption, or other security risks. It covers both digital and physical data.

It also specifies protocols for handling, storing, and transmitting data maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of information assets.

This policy specifies encryption standards for data at rest and in transit, access controls based on user roles, and guidelines for secure data storage and disposal. The policy includes provisions for regular security audits, vulnerability assessments, and data access logging. 

Procedure: To implement this policy, you can consider classifying and securing sensitive data, implementing access controls, and enforcing encryption standards. You’ll need to rely on encryption software, identity, and access management (IAM) systems, and endpoint protection solutions to monitor and control data access in real-time.

Password management policy

This policy is all about best practices to create, use, and maintain passwords securely across your company.

The aim? Reduce the likelihood of unauthorized access to company data and prevent employees from having 1234567 as their password. 

That's because reused/common passwords make for one of the primary vulnerabilities exploited in data breaches, which, according to IBM, can cost you a whopping average of $4.88 million. 

With this policy, you typically mandate specific requirements for password length, and complexity (like including special characters and numbers), and set schedules to implement password changes at regular intervals.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requirements are also often included to provide additional security layers. It also details password storage protocols, laying rules for passwords to be stored in encrypted form only, ideally within a secure password manager. 

Procedure: Here, you’ll have to enforce strong, unique passwords that are changed regularly, mandate multi-factor authentication, and set protocols for password resets.

Incident response policy

This policy exists to help detect, manage, and recover from IT security incidents, like data breaches, malware infections, or system compromises. 

Without a coordinated response plan, incidents can spiral out of control—leading to long downtimes, substantial financial losses, and potential regulatory penalties. 

It's a recipe for chaos. An incident response policy puts things right, laying out a framework to minimize the impact of incidents, ensure quick recovery, and preserve evidence for potential forensic analysis.

This policy usually includes a detailed incident response plan covering preparation,  identification, containment, eradication, recovery, and a post-incident review to learn from the mishap. It also mandates logging and documentation of all incidents and might even require simulation exercises to test how ready your team is.

To ensure everything runs smoothly, tools like Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and real-time alerts are used to detect and manage incidents.

Procedure: First, assemble a dedicated response team and then outline each step for incident handling. Keep everyone sharp with routine drills.

Disaster recovery policy

This policy prepares you to get critical IT functions back up on its knees after a major disruption, like a natural disaster, cyberattack, or hardware failure. 

It lays down controls for how to protect essential data, restore critical systems, and limit downtime.

The disaster recovery plan embedded in this policy includes backup protocols, data recovery strategies, and roles and responsibilities. It says which systems are mission-critical, where backups are stored (usually both on-site and in cloud environments), and the acceptable recovery time objectives (RTOs) and recovery point objectives (RPOs) for each system.

A clear DR policy teaches your team how to respond under pressure and sees that critical data is protected and recoverable.

Procedure: The bare minimum for this policy is to Identify your must-have systems, set clear recovery priorities, and test backups regularly to ensure you’re ready for unforeseen circumstances.

Remote access policy

The Remote Access Policy sets guidelines for secure, authorized access to your organization's network and resources from remote locations.

This policy sets the ground rules for secure remote connections—it defines authentication methods like VPNs, MFA, and device requirements to ensure everything stays locked up tight. It specifies which applications or systems remote employees can access and might even restrict access to certain IP addresses or device types to add an extra layer of security.

Letting remote access run wild without guidelines is inviting cyber threats like phishing attacks, malware, and unauthorized access. A solid Remote Access Policy balances accessibility and security, so you can enjoy the perks of remote work without putting the entire network at risk. We love the flexibility of remote work, but we can’t roll out the red carpet for hackers!

Procedure: For this policy, lock down remote access with VPNs and multi-factor authentication, monitor sessions closely, and ensure remote devices meet security standards.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy

The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy regulates using personal devices for work purposes and outlines security and privacy requirements for employee-owned devices accessing corporate resources. 

Without a BYOD (Bring Your Device) policy, personal devices become an unchecked entry point for malware, data leaks, and unauthorized access, all waiting to wreak havoc.

This policy puts the brakes on that by requiring specific security configurations, like device encryption, anti-virus software, and lock-screen authentication on personal devices used for work. And if the device goes AWOL? The policy might include remote wipe capabilities to ensure sensitive data doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.

These guidelines are typically enforced and monitored using a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution to keep everything in check.

Procedure: This is relatively simple—set security rules for personal devices, enforce mobile device management, and limit data access as needed.

Network security policy

The Network Security Policy defines security protocols for protecting your organization's IT network. This policy secures wired and wireless networks to maintain data confidentiality and prevent intrusions.

This policy lays out the rules for network access controls. It includes things like segmenting networks for different user roles, requiring strong passwords ("password123" just won’t cut it), and rolling out firewalls and intrusion detection systems (IDS) to keep the riff-raff at bay.

It also specifies encryption standards for sensitive data zipping across the network, and might even require network segmentation, VPNs, and secure Wi-Fi configurations for remote access.

Without a solid network security policy, you’re leaving the door open for cybercriminals—inviting data breaches and compliance violations for tea and crumpets. Not exactly the kind of company you want to keep!

Procedure: Some of the procedures you can set up to implement this policy may include segmenting the network and securing access with authentication. You must also aim to monitor potential threats in real time. 

Software management policy

This policy dictates the rules for acquiring, deploying, using, and maintaining software within your organization. It’s here to keep unauthorized or unlicensed software out of the environment and ensure everything meets security standards and licensing requirements. 

Without this policy, you risk unlicensed or unsupported software sneaking in, which could open up your network to serious security vulnerabilities.

The policy covers requesting and approving new software, clarifies who handles installation and maintenance, and explains how updates and patches are applied. It requires everyone to follow license agreements and ensures only IT-approved software gets installed on company devices.

Procedure: You must approve and track software usage, keep everything patched and updated, and audit regularly to avoid unsupported software.

IT asset management policy

The IT Asset Management (ITAM) Policy governs the acquisition, usage, maintenance, and disposal of IT assets across their lifecycle. It’s implemented so all your physical and digital assets are accounted for, secure, and working in harmony with your operational and financial goals.

The ITAM Policy requires proper asset tagging and inventory tracking—often using asset management software to keep a live record of all hardware, software, and digital assets. It lays down the asset procurement, transfer, and disposal procedures—no room for surprise garage sales here.

This policy also provides visibility into the condition and usage of your assets and helps you spot trends while risk assessments identify potential vulnerabilities in your asset ecosystem. So, you’ll always know where things stand and can fix issues before they become costly problems.

Procedure: To implement this policy, track all assets from purchase through disposal, tag them for easy identification, and keep inventory accurate with regular audits.

Change management policy

The Change Management Policy provides a structured approach for implementing IT changes like software upgrades, hardware replacements, or network reconfigurations. Without this policy, you might as well throw your systems into the air and hope for the best—ad-hoc changes could throw everything into chaos, introduce security holes, or leave you with costly downtime.

The change management policy outlines a step-by-step process for requesting, reviewing, approving, and deploying changes. Any change requires a Change Request (CR) submission, complete with a detailed impact analysis, testing requirements, and risk assessment—let’s be honest, nobody likes surprises when they come with a hefty price tag.

Change Advisory Boards (CABs) or designated IT managers will review each CR and carefully categorize them by risk level. Once approved, changes are made during planned windows, and just to be safe, there’s always a rollback plan in place in case things go a bit pear-shaped.

Procedure: The minimum you need to do to get this policy rolling is to document proposed changes, assess their risk, and get approval before implementing, with a post-change review to capture insights.

Third-party vendor management policy

The Third-Party Vendor Management Policy regulates how your organization engages with, evaluates, and monitors external vendors that provide IT products or services. This policy ensures that third-party partnerships won’t compromise your security or compliance standards. 

It requires thorough due diligence before bringing on any vendors, including assessing their security practices, financial stability, and regulatory compliance. Contracts usually include clauses that cover data protection, reporting requirements, and the right to audit.

Ongoing monitoring is part of the deal to ensure vendors meet service-level agreements (SLAs) and security standards. In some cases, additional access controls or segmented network access are put in place to limit vendors' impact on the core network.

Procedure: Check vendors’ security practices, monitor SLAs, and review vendor performance regularly while using contract clauses to manage risk to get this policy going.

IT Policies and Procedures Best Practices

The key to designing and implementing effective IT processes and procedures is creating a framework that’s rigorous yet adaptable to your organization’s needs. Follow these best practices to develop effective, sustainable policies.

Adjust policies to your organization’s infrastructure and risk profile

Each organization has different workflows, risk tolerances, and technical architectures so that a one-size-fits-all policy won’t work.

To create effective policies, map your critical IT infrastructure and assess industry-specific risks. Then, policies should be adjusted to address those specific findings.

A healthcare organization, for instance, would need enhanced data protection protocols for patient data, while a financial services company would prioritize secure access and compliance documentation. Customization like this ensures policies are both relevant and actionable.

Collaborate across departments to avoid bottlenecks

Get stakeholders from HR, finance, compliance, and operations early in the policy design phase.

Why? Inter-departmental collaboration ensures that your policies and procedures are holistic and leave no "blind spots" where one department’s processes unknowingly create security gaps for another.

Take the onboarding and offboarding policy, for example. HR should work closely with IT to ensure account provisioning and deactivation are automated and consistent. This eliminates vulnerabilities tied to manual processes and ensures no one gets left behind. That’s the kind of teamwork that makes policies stronger and security tighter.

Use IT management software to reduce the workload on IT teams

An advanced IT management solution can help enforce and manage IT policies and procedures. These tools centralize all your IT processes and streamline policy enforcement, asset tracking, compliance monitoring, and more.

Workwize is one such tool. It automates repetitive IT tasks, and lets you manage the complete lifecycle of your IT hardware, from procurement to disposal.

Implement a rolling policy review and update cycle

Technology and regulations move fast—blink, and things change.

Instead of waiting for the annual review, set up a rolling policy review cycle. High-impact policies, like data protection or incident response, should be reviewed quarterly, while lower-risk policies can be checked annually.

This staggered approach lets your team stay on top of emerging threats and regulatory changes without scrambling to revamp everything at once. 

Take cybersecurity regulations, for example—if a new rule affects how you handle data, a quarterly review schedule ensures you’re not caught off guard and can adjust your policies immediately. 

Use data analytics for policy management 

Policies shouldn’t just change based on guesswork or hunches—they should keep changing according to real, tangible performance indicators. Data analytics gives you the hard facts to make smarter, more informed decisions.

Metrics like the number of access request violations, patch compliance rates, or incident response times give you quantitative insights into whether your policies are actually doing their job.

If metrics show a sudden spike in unauthorized access attempts, that could be a red flag that you must tighten up your Access Control Policy or revisit your authentication practices.

Use templates to draft policies

Drafting IT policies from scratch is a time-consuming deal. It is also often plagued with inconsistencies across different documents. With templates, you can create standardized documents that reduce ambiguity and align with industry standards right from the start. 

Use customizable templates to quickly build your IT policies while maintaining structure and alignment with best practices.

Make Managing IT Easier With Workwize

That was it, folks. Lots of IT policies and procedures to standardize and safeguard your organization’s IT infrastructure. 

If your organization’s IT operations are all over the place, implementing some or all of these policies will bring a sense of order.  We also suggest you try out Workwize for smooth IT operations.

Workwize makes it incredibly easy to keep track of your IT hardware. You can procure, deploy, manage, retrieve, and dispose of equipment from one platform. Book a Workwize Demo now to learn more.