When you run a business, you are inevitably going to enter into agreements with other parties.
However, many companies – particularly smaller ones – believe that it is not worth drafting up written contracts as a verbal agreement is enough. However, even if you make these agreements with the best will in the world, there is still every chance that problems are going to occur further down the line. So, here are a few key reasons to create contracts in business.
A Record of Commitment
First of all, you have a clear record of commitment that both sides can keep referring back to time and time again. This way, all parties involved know the exact responsibilities that they are expected to fulfil, as well as any consequences that will occur from anyone involved not holding up their end of the bargain. The more detailed the contract that you create, the more that you have as a reference point, which is never going to be a bad thing in the world of business.
Prevent Conflicts and Mitigate Risks
As we talked about in the introductory section of the blog post, there is also the sense that contracts play a major role in preventing conflicts and mitigating risks. There is no ‘he said, she said’, which can occur when verbal agreements are made. Everybody has read and signed the same thing. Of course, it is important that this formality has taken place whether it is via a physical or an electronic signature. If changes are going to be made to the contract further down the line, it is highly important that everybody is fully aware of them and also signs them off.
Assist an Entire Organisation in Maintaining Compliance
Contracts are not necessarily only for the people high up in an organisation. Often, they need to be accessed by people further down the chain as well. Of course, if this is the case, they need to be made accessible and the language used should be as clear and obvious as possible while still retaining all the necessary elements of legalese that keep this a binding agreement.
Help in Collaboration and Communication
The nature of a huge number of contracts in the world of business is that they are collaborative. This means that teams can work alongside one another to collaborate and create a mutually beneficial agreement that helps out the business as a whole. They can also be used as a tool that facilitates negotiation between different factions. One side may want a particular clause taken out of a contract, but only if a certain section is removed etc.
Increase Operational Efficiency
When people know that they need to fulfil certain terms that are within a contract, it is often the case that they work in a more efficient manner in order to hit them.
Therefore, contracts can also be used as a motivational tool to ensure that all of your goals as a business are comfortably met.
Read more:
Key Reasons to Create Contracts in Business
