Analogous for business in the coronavirus pandemic, pharmaceutical companies and doctors have plans of action and procedures to successfully reach their desired outcomes – to heal patients.
Serving as a lesson for business, the health-care profession hustled and was successful finding a prescription for the pandemic. Similarly, when profits are down, companies have to review their business models and procedures.
Successful companies – in good times and bad – are profitable because they’re consistent in performance and in maintenance of their controls.
The plague is a reminder the effects of crises are devastating to a company’s health. Crises also hurt the potential for peak performance and profits because employees and even managers are not clear in their thinking and are often panicky.
When people are in turmoil, best operational practices can tend to fly out the window. Controls are not maintained as employees literally forget to follow them.
From customers’ perspectives, controls are important for a polished appearance and substance – what employees do and how they do it. Also, controls are important for employees’ morale and teamwork.
Without effective up-to-date controls, the resulting sales-opportunity cost is enormous.
The best solution? To review your processes and write a new, well-prepared set of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Scenarios to consider
An SOP is appropriate for a variety of scenarios:
- If you have to lay off employees, who walk away with know-how in their heads and leaving behind a greater workload for remaining workers
- When temporary employees lacking company orientation are sent to you by temporary help firms
- When you switch to a remote workforce
It seems as though not enough people know what to do or how to do it. Business continuity suffers.
SOP manual benefits include:
1. Enhanced communication
Think clarity. You’ll have optimal communication despite any changes in your staff.
That includes absences, long-term illnesses and switching to a telecommuting staff.
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An SOP manual is important for managers and employees to know how to fill in and keep the company going well.
2. Boost in processes
With SOPs you can spot any shortcomings in your processes.
How? Why? When employees dutifully follow SOPs, sometimes they realize the procedures are outdated. Flaws are identified and it prompts employees to devise improvements.
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Improvements might come in the form of new procedures, additional tasks or reassigning duties to a better-prepared staff member.
3. Enhanced productivity
Guesswork is eliminated in completing tasks. Therefore, in working with an SOP, you’ll save time and money.
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4. Better quality
It’s unfair to expect employees to perform well if you haven’t provided them with the right tools.
A terrific SOP will ensure clarity and consistency, which will lead to higher quality and will put you into a position to hold employees to accountability.
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By the same token, if the SOP doesn’t lead to the desired quality, you’ll be in a good position to spot the flaws and improve the processes to achieve the outcomes you want.
From the Coach’s Corner, editor’s picks:
Why Kaizen Philosophy Works for Business and Public Sector – Lean thinking has become imperative for business and government. Budgets are strained, but pressure continues to mount for better customer service. The bottom-line: Both the private and public sectors need to save time and money while providing exemplary service – with existing resources. This requires major changes – often culturally.
Management Best Practices Include Solid Operations Checklists – Are you concerned about profits? Would you like for your business to be in a class of its own? Not to oversimplify, obstacles to profits result from two basic barriers: External and/or internal challenges.
Understanding Your Employees Is Key to Beat Competitors – Understanding your employees’ experience at work is key to winning in your workplace and ultimately winning in your marketplace.
10 Best Practices for an Online Employee Handbook – Companies that don’t convert their employee handbooks into electronic documents are missing noteworthy opportunities in human resources. Conversely, businesses that switch to a digital format accomplish at least five HR goals.
15 HR Strategies to Improve Your Business Performance – Studies continue to show many employees are dissatisfied in their workplaces. To improve your business performance, here are 15 HR strategies.
“In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words: people, product, and profits.”
-Lee Iacocca
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