5 Signs Your SOPs Were Written by Someone Who Doesn’t Work There

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are meant to bring clarity and consistency to building materials distribution. But when they’re written by someone far removed from the yard, the result is usually a binder full of rules that no one follows.

If your SOPs were created by corporate staff, third-party consultants, or inherited from another facility without tailoring, they’re likely doing more harm than good. Misaligned SOPs slow down warehouse operations, frustrate your team, and create gaps in accountability.

Here are five telltale signs your SOPs weren’t written by someone who actually works in your operation—and what to do about it.

1. They Don’t Reflect the Actual Flow of Your Yard

You know it’s bad when your SOP says “stage in Zone B before loading,” but your yard doesn’t even have a labeled Zone B.

Misaligned SOPs often show up in:

Staging procedures that don’t match how forklifts actually operate

Outbound checklists that ignore your yard layout or shift hours

Load sequencing steps that don’t match the truck dock setup

Inventory workflows that assume racking you don’t use

If your documents describe an idealized facility rather than the one you operate, they weren’t written with your reality in mind.

Fix it by walking the floor and rewriting each procedure based on how product actually moves—from receiving, through picking, staging, and delivery.

2. They Use Language That Doesn’t Match the Tools You Use

If your SOP says “log order adjustments in the WMS” but your team uses spreadsheets and sticky notes, that’s a disconnect.

Poorly written SOPs often name systems, terms, or reports your yard doesn’t even use. You’ll see:

ERP fields that don’t exist in your version

Acronyms like “POD” or “ASN” that no one has explained

Job titles that don’t match your org chart

Tasks assigned to roles that don’t exist in your yard

When SOPs speak in someone else’s language, your team tunes out. Make sure your procedures match your tech stack, staff structure, and vocabulary.

3. They Expect Perfect Conditions—Not Real-World Chaos

Some SOPs read like they were written in a clean-room environment:

“Stage product immediately after picking.”

“Confirm all drivers are loaded by 7:00 AM.”

“Complete cycle counts weekly, even during peak shipping.”

In reality? A customer calls with a change order mid-staging. A truck breaks down. Your top loader calls out. Real SOPs allow for flex—detours, workarounds, escalation steps.

Every SOP should answer: What happens when things don’t go to plan?

If it doesn’t, it was written for a textbook—not a working yard.

4. They Sit in a Binder (or File) No One Uses

Here’s a dead giveaway: no one can tell you where the SOPs are, or worse, they’re in a folder labeled “Policy Docs” on someone’s desktop.

When SOPs are written without field buy-in, they never get embedded into the operation. You’ll notice:

New hires don’t learn them—they learn from coworkers

Supervisors say, “That’s not how we do it, but it’s what’s written”

Updates are rare or non-existent

Audits show process drift with no documented backup

Real SOPs live where work happens—posted at the dispatch desk, embedded in your ERP steps, used in training sessions. If they don’t show up in the flow, they’re not real.

5. The People Doing the Work Had No Input

Maybe the biggest red flag: your forklift drivers, dispatchers, or inside sales reps were never asked how they actually do their jobs.

When SOPs are imposed top-down:

They miss efficiency hacks your team has developed

They create compliance traps—people break rules just to get things done

They cause resentment: “They don’t understand what we deal with every day”

Instead, use your high performers to draft SOPs. Sit with the crew chief. Ride with a driver. Ask, “What do you do when X happens?” That’s where the real process lives.

How to Fix It: Build SOPs from the Ground Up

If you recognize these signs, it’s time to rework—not just rewrite—your SOPs:

Audit your current docs and highlight areas that don’t reflect practice

Shadow front-line staff to observe what really happens

Hold SOP work sessions with supervisors and top performers

Use clear, role-based language—avoid corporate jargon

Embed SOPs in workflows—not just documents (e.g., ERP checklists, printed staging guides)

Review quarterly to update based on seasonal shifts or system changes

In Summary

SOPs should reduce friction, not create it. But when they’re written by people who don’t work there, they become liabilities—ignored, irrelevant, or worse, counterproductive. The fix is simple but powerful: build SOPs with the people who live the process every day.

When your SOPs reflect reality, your operation gets faster, safer, and more consistent—with less firefighting and fewer surprises.