Processes are not just red tape; they provide guidelines for how a company should function. Thanks to them, employees understand their roles, and the company runs more smoothly. You don't need to implement complex standards – a simple list of procedures, regular evaluations, and a commitment to improvement are sufficient. The result will be organization, time savings, and a more satisfied team. A company is essentially a system of interconnected processes where people, technology, and information collectively create value.
Processes are not “extras” – they are the core of the organization's operations. Processes are the way tasks are carried out in a company. Every activity, from an idea to a finished product or service, happens within a process. Processes hold the company together and propel it forward. Understanding, managing, and working with them means having control over the company's operations. They are not just for large corporations. Every company has its procedures and customs, even if undocumented. However, if they are not clearly managed, chaos, confusion, and unnecessary questions arise. Well-established processes bring order, save time, and provide peace for all employees.
What is a Business Process?
A business process is simply an established way of doing something in a company. It can include onboarding a new employee, approving leave, handing over equipment, or processing invoices. A process is essentially a guide: who needs to do what, when, and in what order.
Why Manage Processes in a Company?
- To provide clear guidance – a straightforward guide eliminates guesswork.
- To save time and reduce stress – prevents unnecessary questions and shifting responsibility.
- To ensure clear accountability – clarifies who is responsible for each step.
- To reduce errors – processes help avoid missed steps.
- To enable automation – standardized procedures can be automated and set up as workflows.
- To facilitate company growth – without processes, scaling is difficult, and chaos increases with more personnel.
How to Start Managing Processes
- List the main processes in your company – start with those that are most critical or problematic.
- For each process, provide a brief description: name, description of steps, desired outcome, and responsible person.
- If a description isn't enough, create a simple sketch or process diagram – it doesn't need to be complex, just an understandable step-by-step guide.
- Define responsibilities for each step – it should be clear who is in charge of each step.
- Make the description accessible – the process must be easy to find, not stored away, ideally directly as a work procedure.
- Regularly evaluate and improve the process – processes are not static; the company evolves, the environment changes, and you must respond to changes.
TIP: Use a Prepared Process Library
- Instead of complex methodologies, use a simple process library = a template with a list of processes to guide you.
- It is a list of key company procedures that are described and accessible to all employees. Each process, in addition to the description of steps and responsible people, can have links to related documents, guidelines, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Such a catalog then becomes a practical foundation for training new people, adhering to company rules, and eventually for process automation.
TIP2: If You Don't Know How a Process Works, Make a Map
- A process map is a simple way to visually represent it, describing its flow across people or departments. See how to do it.
Grade Your Processes Like in School: From Chaos to Managed Processes
Evaluate individual processes like grading in school. Find out where you stand and where you would fail or pass. A simple way to determine which processes in the company work and which don't is to use grading "like in school". It's quick, understandable, and you'll easily know where you stand.
- 1 – excellent process: operates like the best in the industry
- 2–3 – good / average process: occasional hiccups occur, but it mostly works.
- 4–5 – non-existent, poor, or completely inadequate process: the process doesn't exist or doesn't work at all, frequent confusion, people don't know what to do.
You can conduct this evaluation yourself as management or involve employees through a short survey. The result is a clear overview of which processes need to be improved as a priority.
Practical Tips for Small and Growing Companies
- Start with the processes that cause the most confusion.
- Keep it simple – a basic description is better than a complex methodology.
- Put processes in one place where employees can easily access them.
- Involve the people who use the processes – they know best where the issues are.