Why long procedures fail (and what to do instead)

Let’s be honest: When was the last time you read a long procedure from start to finish without skimming? Most of us jump between sections, scan for keywords, and end up missing the point.

This challenge is only growing with the new generation entering the workforce. They’ve grown up on TikTok, YouTube shorts, and Snapchat - quick, visual messages that are over in seconds. TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) is second nature to them. If your procedures read like a novel, you’ll lose their attention long before you get to what actually matters.

That’s a problem. Because in a business, procedures aren’t just “paperwork.” They’re the playbook for how we work safely, correctly, and efficiently. And when employees don’t absorb the content, both learning and safety are at risk. 

From walls of text to learning that sticks 

A procedure doesn’t need to be a wall of text. In fact, it almost never should be. Long procedures cause people to switch off, and the knowledge we want them to gain gets lost. So we need to flip the script: procedures should be created for employees, not for the archive. How?

RamBase QMS Standardize and Visualize

• Use images that show the actual equipment and workplace.
  
• Add short videos that demonstrate the task in practice – supported by bullet points.

• Highlight the critical parts with arrows, callouts, or annotation.

• Keep a consistent structure so every procedure looks familiar – whether it’s about PPE requirements or safety routines.

And sometimes, you don’t even need a procedure at all. Maybe it’s just a short message, a link to external material, or a customer’s one-pager. The point is: use the right format for the right message. For example:       

• Offshore staff receive the latest one-pager on lifting operations.

• Everyone gets this month’s HSE topic – like how small daily habits can prevent fall accidents.
• Workshop employees get updates on tool handling routines.
• Payroll teams receive information about changes in tax rules or absence reporting.

With clear roles and requirements, you avoid spamming everyone – and employees only see what’s relevant for them. 

From reading to learning 

A read confirmation is good, but it’s even more effective when combined with a test, a training record, or a short quiz. That way, you ensure both learning and accountability. As a manager, you can be confident that employees have understood the content – and that you’ve done your part to secure both compliance and safety.

This is where RamBase QMS makes the difference. It might sound complex, but it doesn’t have to  be. RamBase Quality Management System gives you the tools to manage your entire procedure flow in a smart and user-friendly way.

With RamBase QMS, you can

• Create procedures in multiple formats - text, images, video, bullet points.
• Ensure read confirmations and role-based requirements.
• Link procedures to training, tests, and quizzes.
• Provide employees with a clear, consistent structure – every time.

The result? You stay in control. Employees get procedures they can actually use in their daily work. And together, you create a safer, more efficient workplace.

Amanda Bowles, Quality Manager at Eramet, is one of our customers who have been using RamBase QMS for more than an a decade, and who value visual storytelling when it comes to the company's procedures:

RamBase QMS is our knowledge database of how we manage all our processes and all the activities we do. You can use pictures, films, text, diagrams, you can have arrows, all sorts of things.  It's very flexible like that. And you can make is so it reaches the audience you want very quickly. And this is where the value is.

5 customers about RamBase QMS

5 different cases on how RamBase QMS puts you in control of procedures and processes