It’s not uncommon for a business to run away from under your feet. It might seem as though that’s not the case, that nothing could happen without your tacit approval. But the truth is that a business is designed to work like a machine, and like many machines with autonomous parts, sometimes it’s easy for the thing to operate without you controlling it, leading itself into areas you might not be familiar with.
For example, it’s not uncommon for businesses to become bloated, to overexpand, or to make a misstep that redefines an entire strategy going forward. During Covid, many companies over-hired, especially in their technical departments, which is why so many tech firms are processing layoffs in 2024, and why companies like Google have admitted they need to restructure.
So – is now the time to simplify those business processes? What are the signs this is a wise decision for your own firm? In this post, we’ll discuss some of that wisdom, and hopefully help you curate a better end result.
Consider Your Software Bloat
It’s very common for companies to keep expanding the toolset they use until it finally becomes an unmanageable mess of tiresome frustration. Messages may be mislaid as you realize that they used an instant messaging app from a suite most of the team doesn’t use, or perhaps simply assigning a task has become a nightmare of a process.
This is where centralizing your management and assignment tasks to an all-in-one suite you can use specific to your industry or work necessities, like a field service app, can be such a massive help. It gives you the confidence to centralize all tasks and allow those to be managed effectively while providing you real-time data you need to make those essential decisions going forward.
Audit Your Workflow
A workflow can operate much like a river or stream – the water takes the path of least resistance that’s ultimately where the shape of such a feature is defined. Over time, as erosion continues, the shape and direction of that flow can shift. This is why it’s important to audit your workflow from time to time. You may realize that you have three different people in the same department effectively doing the work of two people, or one person doing the work of five. It will help you restructure, perhaps even cutting or adding necessary levels of management, while being completely certain that yes, you need this. A simple approach, but one to routinely take.
Consider Your Outsourced Help
Much like overhiring can be a problem, sometimes you may realize you have too many outsourced services providing for every little task you need. While there’s no problem with outsourcing usually, it might be that the need to leverage certain tasks externally, especially since you’ve expanded, is no longer necessary. Moreover, better services that offer a more consolidate product can help you avoid splitting time among three vendors, instead of working with one. For example, heading to an SEO service that can also take care of your full-scale marketing package is a worthwhile approach, because it limits the headspace and routine invoicing it would take to keep these people on board.
With this advice, you’re certain to simplify your business processes for the better.
