Draft an internal policy brief for [DECISION MAKER] about [POLICY QUESTION]. Use only the materials I provide. This is a decision-support document, not legal, HR, tax, medical, or compliance advice; identify where qualified review is needed. Current policy and governing documents: [CURRENT POLICY] Problem, affected groups, and operating context: [ISSUE AND IMPACT] Evidence and stakeholder input: [EVIDENCE] Options already under consideration: [OPTIONS] Constraints, jurisdiction, timeline, and approval path: [CONSTRAINTS] Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing. Otherwise, write a 1,000-1,400 word brief with these sections: 1. Decision required: state the specific decision, decision owner, deadline, and what happens if no action is taken. 2. Background and current state: summarize the relevant policy, who it applies to, and the operational problem. Separate documented facts from stakeholder concerns and assumptions. 3. Criteria for a sound policy: use 4-6 criteria relevant to this decision, such as consistency, fairness, administrative burden, privacy, employee impact, enforceability, cost, and legal or contractual alignment. Explain why each applies. 4. Options analysis: compare the status quo and each supplied option in a table. For each, give benefits, tradeoffs, affected groups, implementation requirements, risks, and evidence gaps. Do not add an option unless labeled as a proposal. 5. Recommendation: recommend only if the supplied evidence supports one. Otherwise state what information would be needed. Include rationale, exceptions or safeguards, and required review. 6. Implementation and communication: owner, sequence, training or system changes, effective date, appeals or feedback route, and measures to monitor unintended effects. Use neutral language and avoid presenting a preferred outcome as settled fact. Before answering, check that similarly situated groups are treated consistently or that differences have a documented reason, and flag every conclusion that needs legal, HR, privacy, union, or compliance review.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [DECISION MAKER] | Enter the person or committee responsible for making the policy decision. | People Operations Steering Committee |
| [POLICY QUESTION] | State the precise policy decision the brief must address. | Whether to replace the current unlimited remote-work policy with a role-based hybrid attendance policy. |
| [CURRENT POLICY] | Paste the relevant policy language, handbooks, contracts, or existing procedures. | Handbook states employees may work remotely with manager approval; no attendance minimum. Sales incentive plan requires regional events; union agreement covers warehouse staff only. |
| [ISSUE AND IMPACT] | Describe the problem, affected groups, frequency, operational context, and consequences. | Three product teams report slower onboarding of new hires; 62 office-based employees would be affected, while 48 warehouse employees already work on site. |
| [EVIDENCE] | Provide available data, incident summaries, employee input, research, and source dates. | Q1 manager survey, 19 responses; onboarding time increased from 34 to 41 days, but no causal study. Employee listening session notes raised commuting and caregiving concerns. |
| [OPTIONS] | List the policy options the decision-maker is considering. | Keep current policy; require two anchor days for office-based roles; let each function set attendance expectations with published criteria. |
| [CONSTRAINTS] | List applicable jurisdiction, contracts, timeline, budget, review requirements, and implementation limits. | Operations in New York and Illinois; legal and HR review required; executive decision by August 15; no office expansion budget. |
How to use
- Paste the current written policy and the documents that constrain it before adding opinions about the problem.
- Make the policy question a real decision, such as choosing an eligibility rule or effective date, not a broad topic like “improve fairness.”
- Check the options table for different treatment of comparable employees and note the business reason for any distinction.
- Send this follow-up: “Convert the recommended implementation section into a manager FAQ that does not make promises beyond the approved policy.”
Variations
Executive memo
Use this when a senior leader needs a short decision memo rather than a full brief.
Write a two-page executive policy memo on [DECISION] for [AUDIENCE], using [CURRENT RULES], [EVIDENCE], [OPTIONS], and [REVIEW CONSTRAINTS]. Include the decision needed, background, a comparison table, recommended action only where evidence supports it, implementation owner, and required legal or HR review. State uncertainty plainly and distinguish evidence from employee feedback. Do not draft binding policy language. Before answering, check that the recommendation does not conflict with supplied rules and that each affected group is named.
Policy comparison
Use this when the team must compare several policy approaches fairly.
Compare policy options for [POLICY ISSUE] using [CURRENT POLICY], [OPTIONS], [AFFECTED GROUPS], [EVIDENCE], and [CONSTRAINTS]. Produce a decision matrix scoring consistency, fairness, feasibility, administrative burden, privacy, cost, and risk only where the supplied evidence permits a score; otherwise mark “insufficient evidence.” Follow with a 500-word explanation of material tradeoffs and questions for legal, HR, or compliance review. Do not manufacture benchmark practices. Check that scoring criteria are applied equally to every option.
Policy communication
Use this after a policy has been approved and needs a clear employee-facing explanation.
Draft an employee-facing announcement for the approved [POLICY CHANGE], using [APPROVED POLICY TEXT], [EFFECTIVE DATE], [WHO IS AFFECTED], [IMPLEMENTATION DETAILS], and [CONTACT OR APPEAL PATH]. Write a plain-language summary, what changes and what does not, eligibility or exceptions exactly as approved, steps employees must take, and where to ask questions. Do not interpret ambiguous policy language or promise outcomes not in the approved text. Before answering, check that dates, eligibility, and required actions match the supplied policy exactly.
Tips
- Begin with the decision owner and deadline. A brief that describes a problem without naming the choice required often produces no action.
- Use criteria before evaluating options so the comparison does not quietly favor the option someone already prefers.
- Treat employee feedback as evidence of experience and concern, not proof of a causal claim unless the data supports causation.
- Have counsel, HR, privacy, labor-relations, or compliance owners review the final policy where their area is implicated; AI cannot determine legal obligations or enforceability.
FAQ
Can AI write a company policy by itself?
It can organize inputs and draft plain-language alternatives, but policy owners and qualified reviewers must validate legal, contractual, privacy, and operational requirements.
How many options should a policy brief compare?
Usually two to four, including the status quo. More options can obscure the actual decision unless they are materially distinct.
Should the recommendation appear at the start or end?
Put the decision required at the start, then place the supported recommendation after the analysis. This lets readers understand both the ask and its basis.