There is Value in Writing it Down:
Every business with employees is dependent upon the employees knowing their jobs, knowing what needs to be done and moving rhythmically through the day. So what do you do when something unexpected happens and an employee is suddenly not on the job? How will those tasks be accomplished in their absence? Does anyone else in the business know the routine? Do you suddenly find yourself or other employees now running around the business trying to fill in, while not being sure what needs to be done first? Picture, for example, the employee who is responsible for accounts receivable. Every month without fail, the invoices are in the mail, follow-up phone calls to delinquent accounts are made and you have up-to-date reports. Your company's cash flow depends on the timeliness of those routines. Hold that thought. Now picture another employee. This employee is responsible for maintaining and trouble shooting a major piece of equipment vital to your production process. Any problem with the machine and the employee knows the shortest path to getting it back on line. Your sales staff extols meeting deadlines as the difference between your company and the competition. Your company's sales depend on those deliveries. In both of these scenarios, these employees are critical to the success of your business. Most business owners would agree that running a very tight line between cash flow and expenses impacts that success. Having the accounts receivable delayed could be very serious. Missing a deadline might mean the difference between keeping or losing important accounts. If one of these employees were to unexpectedly become ill or for other reasons leave your company without adequate notice, how would you cope in the short term? The simplest solution would be to pull out the "Operations or Procedures" Manual. In many businesses, there is a strong possibility that either such a manual does not exist, is available for only a limited number of processes in the business or is seriously outdated. Regardless of the size of your business, written procedures for every functional area of the business are fundamental. Ideally, the employees doing the task write the procedures and are responsible for the updates. The procedures do not have to be complicated. Strive for simplicity, with enough depth that someone, who does not ordinarily do the task, could follow the instructions and get the job done. Written procedures are not only useful during the unexpected or extended absence of an employee, they are valuable as training tools for new employees. Their orientation to a new job will be reinforced when they can refer to a written document. Additionally, writing out procedures and following them consistently can impact your quality processes and their continued improvement. Your first thought may be, we are not that big or we do not have time to stop and write these procedures. Can you afford a drop in cash flow for a month? Can you afford to miss important production deadlines? Can you afford not to take the time? ©2000-present Flight Unlimited - All Rights Reserved |
