How To Recommend Process Improvements

Changing processes is difficult, which is why most companies never do it – unless they have no choice. A process that has worked well for years may need to be tweaked or replaced altogether because it does not work for their current situation or worse, it creates a problem for them in another way.

By implementing new processes, your organization can achieve several goals at once. It could increase efficiency, reduce costs, create more effective relationships, or all of these.

Changing how things are done is also an opportunity to effect positive transformations within groups and individuals. When people feel like their input matters, this changes everything.

Ask your audience what they dislike

As mentioned before, one of the most important things in improving anything is asking how you can make it better. What features or functions people want and use are very different from what you might already have, so by studying these things out, you could create new products that people will buy!

One way to do this is to ask your audience what they dislike about the product or function. You should always be listening to your customers, but if you ever wanted more information, this is a great opportunity to get some insights.

If someone complains about something related to your business, take notes and evaluate whether those complaints make sense. If yes, then address those issues and see if improvements can be made.

But if no, then move onto another area of the company that maybe shares the same problems.

Think about what your audience would say

As mentioned before, improving your skills is great if you are the manager or leader of someone else’s team. But even if you aren’t in that position yet, it can still help you become one someday.

One way to improve your leadership skills is by listening to how other people lead their teams. You should never assume that just because something worked for someone else that it will work for you, but there are some things you can pick up from them.

You could read through their reports and emails to get insights into how they manage their time, and whether they use meeting notices as reminders or not.

You could watch a few meetings to see how they structure conversations and motivate individuals on the team. And you could find out what tools they used to keep track of assignments and deadlines.

By paying attention to what others do, you can add those resources to your own toolbox.

Make the process better

Even if you are already using all of these tools, there is always something that you can add to make your job easier or improve the efficiency of how you do business. Technology should be used for improving what you are doing, not replacing things completely!

There are many ways to recommend process improvements. Some of the most effective strategies focus on changing how others perform their jobs. This can mean helping someone else use an equipment tool, teaching someone new technology, or showing them how to manage their workload more efficiently.

As a manager or leader, you may also be able to influence the way people work by creating an environment where employees feel comfortable asking questions and seeking help.

Document the process

Even if you’re not directly involved in performing an activity, you can still play an important role by documenting the processes that work well for your team. This could be done through notes and memos or via recording conversations with managers and colleagues about the process at hand.

By taking time to discuss how things are performed, people outside of the process can help promote change. By seeing what parts of the current process work for your team, they can suggest making changes to fit your organization better.

If there is no documentation of the process, then changing the process will be much more difficult. People who perform this activity may even resist the proposed changes because they do not know why it was done before.

Documenting the process gives evidence to show that the same steps have worked in the past and that these steps seem effective. It also helps prove the case for the changes being made.

By having supportive documents, management can make the decision to implement the new process on their own. No one needs to ask permission to create these documents, which makes them easier to come across.

Provide training on the process

As mentioned earlier, offering guidance and education is one of the most effective ways to motivate an employee. If needed, offer professional certification or formal degree programs to show that your organization values this area of work.

Offer in-depth courses about specific processes such as how to use quality equipment properly, what tools are necessary for success, etc. The better you know the process yourself, the more confident you will feel when addressing any issues within it.

By educating yourself on the basics, you’ll be able to recognize problems before they occur and prevent bad things from happening. This will help create a positive workplace environment where people feel comfortable talking to each other and sharing information.

Interpersonal skills are a key factor in anyone's career so investing in yours now can have lasting benefits. Since everyone else in the company will be doing the same thing, employees who understand the process will feel less intimidated by changes being made.

Use a mentor or coach for feedback

As noted earlier, your colleagues are your best source of information and motivation for improving your performance as an employee. Unfortunately, most people do not offer this help when you need it.

As such, we recommend using a mentor or coaching service to get honest evaluations of your work style.

These services have trained professionals who can give you objective feedback about how you perform in the workplace. This is especially helpful if you are looking to advance at your current job or find new opportunities within the organization.

By seeking out external reviews, you also increase your confidence in yourself. You’ll feel more prepared for tough meetings and situations because you will know what others have done in similar circumstances.

In addition, some organizations offer formal mentoring programs where experienced workers match up with less experienced ones. These relationships can be very beneficial to both participants.

Take notes

Even if you’re already doing some of these things, make sure to take good notes about how others are performing their job functions or what could be improved.

By taking note of other people’s habits and routines, you will find many tips and tricks you never knew about yourself!

And don’t forget to look at the way their position is structured – why did they use that process?

If there was a standard procedure for something, most likely yours does as well. By documenting those procedures, you can pick up new skills by learning from them.

You may also discover weaknesses in your own routine that you need to fix or improve.

Running an empty notebook sleeve can easily be filled with all the important bits and pieces you need to do your job effectively.

Make sure to include details such as who you meet with, any documents you review, and anything else related to the work you have to do.

Take advantage of the digital era we live in and use smart phones to take notes. You can even create an app that helps you organize and capture everything more efficiently.

Held together with index cards or notes, this information is ready to go whenever you need it.

Be consistent

Consistency is one of the most important things when it comes to recommending process changes. Make sure that your recommendations are consistently applied across the organization, and that you do not have different standards for employees in different departments or levels.

If there are clear rules about an item, go through the steps according to those rules – even if this takes longer!

We’ve seen cases where people would follow the process “up until here” then stop and make their own decisions without using any hard guidelines. This creates a lack of consistency which can create confusion and frustration for those who must deal with these non-standard practices every day.

Consistent processes help ensure that everyone knows what to expect, and that anyone involved will know how to navigate the system.

Be honest but try to be positive

It is very difficult to tell someone they are doing something wrong unless you have done it before and understood why it was bad. It can also be tricky telling someone they are doing something well because they may feel defensive and argue against the change.

Bearing this in mind, never assume that someone else knows what is best for them and the company. Rather than saying “You should do ____” always start by asking what part of the job they enjoy most and what they think is missing from their current role.