7 steps for business process optimization

In a period of turbulence, when you need to keep revenue, the description of business processes will be a tool for efficiency increase and an element of team building.

Tells Nataliia Zaverukha, the founder of Manageable agency for description and optimization of business processes, a member of the ecosystem for women WE ARE. 

While earlier employees reacted to optimization and changes in business processes with hostility, today they see them as an attribute of business development and stability. To make the transformation as effective as possible, I recommend involving as many employees as possible in describing business processes and implementing innovations. Ideally, if the business format allows, everyone can be involved. Or at least one or more representatives from each structural unit. This will not only help to see all the bottlenecks in the company, but also to understand how this or that process takes place. Here are seven steps you can take to make this process as effective as possible to the fullest extent.

Step 1. Conduct a survey of staff 

The process should start with a survey of employees, where everyone can express whether they are ready to take part in the description of business processes (participate in brainstorming, interviews, etc.), to develop processes that relate only to their field of work or other areas as well, intend only to generate ideas or to help with their implementation, etc. This will help to form a group of active workers who will be the drivers of the process. It should include representatives of all structural units.

Step 2. Determine the time of the working group meeting 

For example, every Thursday from 11:00 to 15:00. All employees of the company should know this time. Moreover, they must be able to join meetings. For instance, in the online calendar you can make settings with a reminder for everyone. Be sure to indicate the name of the business process to be considered in the subject of each meeting. Every employee should have the opportunity to join a meeting so that he/she can talk about the problems associated with a particular process, or express ideas for its optimization.

Step 3. Describe existing business processes and find soft spots

Quite often the processes in the company are ineffective because people from different units do not understand them, or interpret them at their own discretion. For example, if there are problems with financial documentation, the first thing that comes to mind is to involve economists or accountants. Although this issue can be solved by an IT specialist by adding a certain option to the automation system and so on. Therefore, it is important to invite employees from all units when describing business processes and generating ideas for their optimization. Only those who are involved in the process will be able to tell the best about it. However, bottlenecks are better noticed by those involved in the processes, as shortcomings often create difficulties in performing their direct tasks. Dissatisfied employees should also be invited to the meeting. Because they are the real source of information about all failures and gaps in the processes.

A description of business processes is a great opportunity to let everyone know what their colleagues are doing and what processes the company has in general. This will not only improve the microclimate, but also help to implement innovations effectively.

Step 4. Arrange brainstorming and generation of ideas

Changes in business processes should be a joint development of the team. Ideally, if each employee will be able to come up with ideas, but be sure to justify them by answering the following questions:

• What will this change bring to the company?
• How much resources does it require (funds, time, human resource, etc.)?
• How soon the result can be seen?  

Step 5. Create a bank of ideas

It’s very convenient if all ideas are categorized and collected in one place, to which all employees will have access. Moreover, they must vote for an idea/change. First, it will allow people to feel responsible and involved in important decisions. Secondly, it will allow top management to see what changes are important not from their point of view, but from the point of view of those who are directly involved in the processes. Third, it’s an extraordinary motivator for employees to continue searching for ways to optimize and not be afraid to talk about them.

Step 6. Test the ideas

To understand the effectiveness of an idea, it must be tested. The testing process should engage the maximum number of employees who can be involved in a particular process. And ask them for honest feedback. You also need to determine how the deviations will be recorded and what will indicate the success of the test. Only after testing shows that the idea works, it should be implemented.

Step 7. Thank for ideas

Be sure to thank the employees for the ideas. This will stimulate them to new achievements. There are many options and ways to do this. Some companies pay a certain percentage of the money they have saved by implementing the idea. Someone pays a fixed bonus for implemented ideas, and someone practices public gratitude. Another option is an intangible reward: certificates for services, recreation, etc. Which method of gratitude to choose is up to you.

These seven rules will not only help to make business processes in the company more efficient, but also unite the team and increase the level of staff engagement.