Is your company having collections problems?
Are you missing deadlines?
Is your team frustrated by increased workload?
The solution to all these issues could be as simple as Workflow Mapping your processes!
Mapping a process allows a company, regardless of size, to identify and communicate:
· the root cause of the problem
· potential risks, and
· best practices
These types of results are widely known and may not come as a surprise. What we are talking about are the UNEXPECTED benefits of workflow mapping a process.
Unexpected Benefits
1. Engage Management
While a workflow can be utilized by different levels of understanding, it is specifically tailored for upper-level management (including C-suite). This provides management with the opportunity to modify a process that in its current state may not be ideal for prompt and adequate decision making.
2. Share Information with Cross-functional Teams
This approach educates teams outside of accounting on how each affects the other. It identifies communication gaps between the teams and addresses issues that may lead to bottlenecks in the process. Workflows can be shared internally with current employees to communicate how an efficient process is expected to flow. It can also serve as an opportunity to bring everyone to the table and offer solutions to challenges.
3. Train New Employees (and the Auditors)
Workflows can serve as one of the most optimal training tools for new employees. Think of it as a centralized source of knowledge that is sure to shorten the learning curve and thus also shorten the period of transition. Concurrently, it will assist in providing step by step scenarios, identifies process and control owners, and systems used, all of which are excellent guides for auditors.
4. Generate Accountability
Having a documented workflow generates a sense of responsibility within the team. It assigns a level of internal accountability so that going forward any changes or deviations to the process are addressed with the team member and the team in general. Concurrently, this then reduces the need to micromanage in that everyone is fully aware who does what and when.
5. Identify Redundancies
We are able to identify tasks performed by more than one team member both within and outside of the accounting team, as well as tasks that can be completely eliminated. As can be expected, identifying these redundancies can assist in improving the flow and efficiency of the process.
More Than a Pretty Picture
A workflow is more than just a road map with symbols and arrows. When documented properly it can become a wealth of knowledge for internal use that can lead to an overall improvement of the process, an increase in efficiency that in the end, saves time and frustration. At Arcus we have experienced consultants to assist you and your team with any workflow mapping project. Contact us to learn more!
Is your company having collections problems?
Are you missing deadlines?
Is your team frustrated by increased workload?
The solution to all these issues could be as simple as Workflow Mapping your processes!
Mapping a process allows a company, regardless of size, to identify and communicate:
· the root cause of the problem
· potential risks, and
· best practices
These types of results are widely known and may not come as a surprise. What we are talking about are the UNEXPECTED benefits of workflow mapping a process.
Unexpected Benefits
1. Engage Management
While a workflow can be utilized by different levels of understanding, it is specifically tailored for upper-level management (including C-suite). This provides management with the opportunity to modify a process that in its current state may not be ideal for prompt and adequate decision making.
2. Share Information with Cross-functional Teams
This approach educates teams outside of accounting on how each affects the other. It identifies communication gaps between the teams and addresses issues that may lead to bottlenecks in the process. Workflows can be shared internally with current employees to communicate how an efficient process is expected to flow. It can also serve as an opportunity to bring everyone to the table and offer solutions to challenges.
3. Train New Employees (and the Auditors)
Workflows can serve as one of the most optimal training tools for new employees. Think of it as a centralized source of knowledge that is sure to shorten the learning curve and thus also shorten the period of transition. Concurrently, it will assist in providing step by step scenarios, identifies process and control owners, and systems used, all of which are excellent guides for auditors.
4. Generate Accountability
Having a documented workflow generates a sense of responsibility within the team. It assigns a level of internal accountability so that going forward any changes or deviations to the process are addressed with the team member and the team in general. Concurrently, this then reduces the need to micromanage in that everyone is fully aware who does what and when.
5. Identify Redundancies
We are able to identify tasks performed by more than one team member both within and outside of the accounting team, as well as tasks that can be completely eliminated. As can be expected, identifying these redundancies can assist in improving the flow and efficiency of the process.
More Than a Pretty Picture
A workflow is more than just a road map with symbols and arrows. When documented properly it can become a wealth of knowledge for internal use that can lead to an overall improvement of the process, an increase in efficiency that in the end, saves time and frustration. At Arcus we have experienced consultants to assist you and your team with any workflow mapping project. Contact us to learn more!
