Have you ever found yourself explaining and re-explaining how to complete a task? You think that you are being clear in your explanation, and it is common-sense to do it your way. However, not everyone thinks the same way, and not everyone is as passionate about your business as you are. If you find yourself constantly fixing mistakes or following up on missing information, then you likely are in need of better business workflows and tools to create consistency.
Consistent workflows provide the following benefits:
1. Everyone is on the same page
Consistency is the key to work that flows easily from one process or person to the next. If every task is completed the same way every time by each and every employee, then everyone will know what the next step in the process is and how to complete it. Consistency boosts productivity, increases customer satisfaction, and lowers costs.
Employees want to feel productive; they want to know that they are doing a good job and that they have added value to the company. Creating business workflows gives employees the autonomy to do their jobs productively, increasing their job satisfaction and their work output. Likewise, customers like knowing what is coming. They want to work with companies that offer consistency and employees who are confident in their roles.
2. Follow up is easier
When everyone is following the same process, it is exponentially easier to ensure that all work is completed and done so correctly. Management will have increased visibility to the actions of every employee throughout the entire workflow. Again, this keeps all team members on the same page, and it also gives management a better understanding of where their employees are struggling, or what needs to be improved in the future. Risks can be mitigated because they will be easier to identify and course correct. Greater visibility to the process allows errors to be corrected earlier instead of being missed or overlooked later on.
3. Work is completed faster
Consistency lends itself to speed, and time is money. When everyone knows what they need to be doing at each stage of the process, they are able to be more efficient. Muscle memory is real, and it works for brains too. Your employees will be more efficient when they know exactly which tasks need to be completed at each step of the process. There is less confusion and time wasted waiting for a response. Each employee works autonomously to get the task done in an efficient manner, benefiting both the company and the customer.
4. No missing information
When all of the steps of the process are laid out clearly for the employee, there is a greater chance that there will be fewer errors and missing information. As employees work through the workflow, they will be able to enter and update information throughout the process. This will give better results, reduce errors, and minimize risk. Additionally, management will have a greater visibility into the current state of a process. This gives them the opportunity to course correct and identify errors. If process automation software is also used in the workflow, features can be aligned to disallow missing information.
Although time consuming to create, process workflows provide the structure that your business and employees need. Consistency should be at the heart of everything that you do in your business. developing these workflows is not as easy as it sounds, but it provides great benefits to you and your employees. The creation of workflows is not a static process, it needs to grow and develop alongside your business, making room for improvements and change.
