Recognizing outside influences on your work
Process management and New Year's resolutions may not seem closely connected, at first. But consider the fact that for many people, the working day is so jam-packed, time for the more important things in life is often set aside. Poor work-life balance is a common complaint from workers in many industries, and with New Year a time for reflection, this challenge is often front of mind during the holiday season.
Even if the actual volume of your work is manageable, it can often be hard to complete what we’ve set out to do, as our daily tasks go through many hands and very likely rely on various factors outside our control. Even with structured work routines, we still wait for approvals, are dependent on couriers and partners, or need the results of critical business decisions before we proceed.
All of these factors influence how quickly and efficiently our work is completed, and how each connected business processes operates. Our personal working habits can only take us so far, meaning it’s important to question where the any blocks to progress lie. In most cases, it’s due to unclear responsibilities and tasks, non-standardized working methods, or tedious coordination tasks. The solution is to standardize, optimize, and automate.
Standardizing processes makes them simpler
When we look not only at our own tasks, but at the entire process from end to end, we can recognize weak spots. Documenting, analyzing and standardizing business processes is one of the most important tasks for management, and has a positive effect on the work schedule of all employees. Tasks can be completed faster when everyone knows exactly what they need to do, and when.
For example, engaging a courier becomes easier when they are included in the process, and when interactions are standardized. Critical operational decisions will have no negative consequences when risks are eliminated from the very beginning through a consistent set of actions each time. Requirements set out by quality assurance or external regulations can only be met when everyone in the company is aware of and understands the necessary processes.
Questions like, "How much discount can I offer a customer?" or "Should I grant this request?" or "Can I actually approve this loan?" can be answered much quicker if everyone knows there is a standard response. Without this general approach, the wrong decision is easier to make, with associated negative consequences, including additional work time that must be sacrificed to fix these unwanted outcomes.
Process management and New Year's resolutions
Creating a process framework helps you manage business processes, as well as the decisions that continuously arise, in one place. A common framework also means communicating changes to colleagues and managers becomes quicker and easier, as you share a common language and understanding of the way your business actually works. In turn, this means a more efficient workplace, and less time spent on unnecessary tasks.
Taking the next step means automation of personalized processes, even for staff without IT knowledge. Task lists, email notifications, and approval workflows can help ensure that work chains are dealt with quickly and without delay. In the end, the goal is to optimize the way individual employees complete their tasks, as time saved at work means there is more time available for 'real life' - friends, family, and interests outside the workplace. In this way, process management and New Year's resolutions are closer than you think...although we can't promise Signavio can help you quit smoking.
Next steps
If you'd like to start the new year off right, find out how the SAP Signavio Process Transformation Suite can reduce problems and delays in your company, eliminate decision risks, ensure compliance, and help you reach your goals more quickly. Signavio makes it easy for you to stick to your good intentions, by standardizing and optimizing your business processes, giving you more time with your loved ones, combining process management and New Year's resolutions. Sign up for a free 30-day trial today - your family will thank you for it!