Three out of four people say they are distracted some time at work, and approximately sixteen percent say they’re distracted all the time.
With the smartphone notifications at our fingertips, buzzing for our attention, what’s the best way to stay focused?
If you can improve processes in your workflow, you will find yourself far less distracted and more productive. Keep reading to learn how to improve your work processes.
How to Improve Processes Step by Step
Before you dive in with improving the workflow process, set a timeline. You will need time to analyze, adjust, test, and readjust the process.
Workflow simply is how you get your work done. The workflow process refers to the tasks within the workflow itself. So if you’re processing an invoice in the accounting department, the steps you take to do this are your workflow process.
Streamlining workflow means making the tasks within the workflow as seamless as possible or creating a smooth flow from task to task.
Analyze and Ask
To see work process improvement, start by analyzing your work process. List the tasks in the process and examine them carefully. Do they flow together?
Then ask yourself how you want to improve this area. What is the goal of this particular work process? Does the current process meet this goal?
Ask the members of your team for input. Where do they see hangups in the work process? How can you streamline workflow better?
When you include team members in this decision, you end up with employees who feel invested in the company. Ultimately, you have a happier team.
Get to Work
Once you’ve analyzed the process and asked for input, break out a big board so you can create a visual breakdown of the process. Use sticky notes to represent each task. This way you can move the tasks around, create new tasks, or eliminate old tasks easily. A big board allows other parties to see the process and give input as well.
The visual will also help you see easily how to streamline a process, especially when the process has many tasks.
Go Automatic
Invest in workflow management software to automatize your tasks. This will save time and ultimately money.
Great workflow software will strengthen communication among team members and streamline workflow. If you have a complex business process, you need help from the software that can simplify the tasks and make work go smoothly.
Workflow software can reduce the manual labor your team members perform. This frees them up to complete more fulfilling work that will help make business more profitable and make them more productive. You ultimately end up with a happier team member and a better business.
Test, Adjust, Retest
Before you put your new workflow process into place, test it. See if there are any bugs or hangups in the new process. Get feedback from the people in the process, and then adjust the process.
Once you’ve tested, adjusted, and retested, then put the process in place.
Keep the Flow Smooth
When you improve processes, you make life easier for everyone at work. You cut out distractions and create a more pleasant, productive, and profitable work environment.
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