Best Ways to Optimize Your Team’s Processes

I cannot overstate how valuable processes are to your business, but did you know they’re also a vital part of your team?

For example, if your team isn’t working as efficiently as they used to, it may be time to update their processes. Or, if you have a new team member coming on, giving them a process will help them acclimate to the business.

Processes are the backbone of your business, but it’s up to you to keep them optimized and updated for the good of your team.

Here’s how:

Offer Team Ownership

One of the easiest ways to keep your processes optimized is to delegate it to your team.

Let’s say you have an admin team member in charge of X task. By giving them ownership over that task, it’s now their responsibility to keep it updated. They’ll change the SOP as needed, communicate it to other team members, and log the changes for future reference.

Team ownership is a great way to delegate tasks, but remember that a member who’s only been working for a week won’t be as comfortable changing the process as one who’s been in the business for a few months or years.

When you have team members you can effectively give them ownership of their specific process and have them take care of it- leaving you free for other, more productive things.

Be Open to Suggestions

Making a process is one thing, but performing it is another, and your initial way may not be the best way to get things done.

By creating a safe space for suggestions and comments, your team now has the opportunity to show you where the problems are, offer their ideas on making it more efficient, and give some insider input on how the process works in real life.

For example, if a team member finds software that can perform X tasks for significantly less than what you’re currently spending, it may be worth a look. On the other hand, if they’re trying to cut out a boring (but needed) step, you probably want to work with them to find a compromise.

Even if you don’t use their ideas, present yourself as open and willing to listen. That way, they’re comfortable coming to you with their ideas and comments. You never know what may turn up.

Perform Quarterly Reviews

Finally, as CEO, it’s still your responsibility to oversee the processes and ensure they are updated and efficient. However, since the goal is to make them more of your team’s responsibility, you shouldn’t need to do more than a quarterly review.

Take some time every quarter to host a review meeting. Ask your team questions about the processes, gather feedback, and make sure everything works as it should. It’s also the perfect opportunity to work out any problem areas, organize and streamline the processes, and see if it’s still the right one for the job.

Final Thoughts

When was the last time you updated the processes for your team? I bet it’s been too long. Thankfully, the tips above will help you optimize, organize, and streamline your processes– making your team the well-oiled machine you’ve always wanted.