Work instruction template
A work instruction tells one person how to do one task, step by step, in the detail they need on the job: which setting, which check, what "done right" looks like. This free Word template uses a job breakdown layout of important steps, key points and reasons, which makes it easy to train from.
Running a company of 30 to 200 people? Documents like this are now worth money.
The layout comes from the Job Instruction method developed for the US Training Within Industry programme in the 1940s, and still used in manufacturing and service teams.
What's in the template
Work instruction
| Task | |
|---|---|
| Instruction number | e.g. WI-WH-012 |
| Version | 1.0 |
| Area or workstation | |
| Linked SOP | |
| Written by | |
| Approved by | |
| Date |
Before you start
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Safety and protective equipment | |
| Tools and equipment | |
| Materials or data | |
| Time needed | |
| Training required |
Steps
| # | Important step (what to do) | Key points (how to do it well) | Reasons (why) | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 | ||||
| 5 | ||||
| 6 |
What done right looks like
Common faults
| Fault | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
Training sign-off
| Trained person | Trainer | Date | Signature |
|---|---|---|---|
Revision history
| Version | Date | Change | Approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | First issue |
How to write a work instruction
- Do the task yourself, or watch your best performer do it, and break it into important steps: the stages that move the job forward.
- Note the key points for each step. These are the things that make or break the job, could injure someone, or make it easier (the knack).
- Give a reason for every key point. People follow instructions they understand, and remember them longer.
- Add a photo or screenshot wherever words would take longer than a picture.
- Train someone with it and watch them work. Wherever they hesitate, the instruction needs another key point.
Work instruction or SOP?
| SOP | Work instruction | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | A whole process, often several people | One task, one person |
| Answers | What happens, who does it, in what order | Exactly how to do it well |
| Detail | Medium | High |
| Example | Fulfilling customer orders | Packing an order for courier collection |
Most companies need both: the SOP sets out the process, and it links to work instructions for the tasks that need training.
Example: packing an order for courier collection
A filled-in job breakdown for a fictional warehouse.
| # | Important step | Key points | Reasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pick the items | Check the product code and quantity against the packing slip, not the shelf label | Shelf labels drift; a wrong item costs a return and a second delivery |
| 2 | Choose the box | Use the smallest box that leaves room for padding on every side | Couriers charge by size as well as weight |
| 3 | Protect the items | Wrap fragile items individually; fill gaps so nothing moves when shaken | Movement in transit causes most breakages |
| 4 | Seal and label | Tape along every seam; put the label on the largest flat face | Labels on edges get torn and fail to scan |
| 5 | Weigh and scan | Enter the actual weight; scan the label into the dispatch system | A wrong weight leads to surcharges; an unscanned parcel can't be tracked |
Common mistakes
- Writing a whole process as one work instruction. That's an SOP; split it.
- Leaving out the reasons, so people drop the steps that seem pointless.
- Paragraphs where a photo would do.
- Keeping it in an office drawer instead of at the place the task is done.
- Not updating it when the equipment or software changes.
Frequently asked questions
Is a work instruction the same as an SOP?
No. An SOP covers a whole process; a work instruction covers one task inside it in much more detail.
Who should sign off a work instruction?
The supervisor or process owner for the area, after watching someone new complete the task using it.
Do I need photos?
Not for every step, but a picture is usually the fastest way to show a key point such as a setting, a position or what a good result looks like.