Process documentation can take an organization from just doing well to exceeding growth goals while saving time and money.
Among the benefits for leaders and employees:
- Leaders experience easier onboarding of those they train.
- There is less repetition and mistakes while performing recurring practices.
- Greater realization of flow within employee roles.
On the organization side, the benefits process documentation can include:
- More stability and value.
- Less money and time waste on training and teaching new team members.
- Fewer inconsistencies with product or service.
The benefits for everyone are smoother operations, increased profitability, and the ability to grow the company while people increase their personal success and develop their own careers.
More process documentation benefits
So why don’t organizations take an active step in defining, documenting, and streamlining their processes? Often it comes down to a lack of understanding of the cost benefit analysis. It takes time to document and define, which takes away from production and output. If you recognize that the benefit outweighs this cost, then the motivation to take the next step is worthwhile.
The following chart details a few of the benefits you can expect to achieve::
Process Documentation challenges: the reason to document processes
Key individuals hold the majority of tasks. Constant growth – get better with quality, scale, efficiency, resource usage, time usage, errors, interpersonal behavior.
Memory, repetition, human error. Increase of transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness. Handoff between departments is clearly defined and misunderstandings are yesterday’s problem. Nothing is left on the table. Workflows and checklists to remind of the important parts of the process so they are not forgotten.
Inconsistent products, services, and experiences for your audience. Meet a standard regardless of who performs work. Know clients are taken care of. Uphold your branding and fulfill your vision and mission.
Training is costly in time, adoption of accountabilities, and turnover. Training becomes easier. Business can scale and new jobs can be created and filled.
Disengaged employees with low productivity. People can test, measure, and automate or delegate leaving them to move on to more complex, engaging and valuable work. Career growth and organization growth go hand in hand.
Miscommunication and lack of understanding of accountabilities. Clearly understood goals and daily workflows that support them. Drivers that prove whether actions are impacting desired effects and the ability to redirect when outcomes are undesirable.
Lack of ability to measure actions toward improvements. Collect a baseline for future measurements. Measure against history, adjust parameters for better information and better strategic decision making.
Fear of what happens when / if key players were to step out. Protect valuable working knowledge of the organization. Knowledge is not lost if something happens to one person. Someone else could step in or be hired and institutional knowledge will be retained.
Already have a great start to process documentation?
We all know that analysis paralysis is a real thing. Here are few things to keep in mind when taking a dive into your own process documentation.
- It can be a time-consuming practice and often leads down a “choose your own adventure” of rabbit holes.
- You are the experts at the process but may be too close to see potential changes.
- Be organized in the collection and usage of materials that could be valuable for other business initiatives.
- Keep a big picture perspective to redirect when rabbit holes begin to look enticing.
Having the ability to take a step back from day-to-day operations and examine the big picture is an important step for those in leadership roles. On occasion, it is a valuable assignment for those on the front line. After all, doesn’t everyone want to save time? The old saying “you have to spend money to make money” is true for time as well. You have to invest it before you see the return.
What benefit could your organization see that would be worth a time investment?
Copyright, 2020 Megan Fries for TIGERS Success Series, Inc.
Megan Fries is a nonprofit and business consultant certified and licensed by TIGERS Success Series to deliver TIGERS diagnostics, resources and methods to her clients.
Megan uses innovation and an eye for detail to create operational systems for efficiency and profitability. A hard worker and “doer” by nature, she creates out-of-the-box solutions that allow her and her clients do more with less. With the ability to step into new projects and direct the line of thinking towards problem-solving solutions, she helps organizations get to the next level.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
• Facilitation • HR Consulting • Finance Consulting • Nonprofit Consulting • Business Development Consulting • Pricing Strategy • Project Management
