Workflow Management: Where Technology, Strategy Meet

Process improvements are virtually always reliant upon strong underlying workflow management strategies. When workflow management is not centralized and optimized, an organization will have a much lower chance of maximizing the efficiency and productivity of each process. Workflow management – like virtually every other element of oversight in a given business – is also dependent on three areas: People, process and technology.

When companies find ways to establish a strong foundation of people, process and technology in the context of workflow management, the opportunities to improve specific moving parts therein will be more abundant and attainable.

First, let’s talk about the matter of people.

Optimal workflows for workforce

Quality Digest recently published a blog post from Jeff Stanford, a director and engineer for a company that creates solutions to help companies with ergonomics implementations, who explained some of the reasons why people-centric strategies are so powerful when looking at workflow processes. As a note, ergonomics implementations and processes are becoming more popular across sectors thanks to the preferable results they tend to yield when completed properly.

In short, ergonomics processes are new overhauls to specific procedures in a business with the objective of making the responsibilities and tasks of all employees more efficient, comfortable and speedy. Now, while Stanford oversees some of the technological developments for his company, he stressed that none of these tools will be quite as effective as leaders wish should the workforce not be supported on a deeper level. This support can include everything from training and development to surveying and more.

He cited the suggestion of a prominent author and researcher who focused her efforts on the point at which technology, personnel and workflow optimization meet.

“A workflow management process keeps the focus on the big picture while offering a structure in which to organize and manage the details,” author Maura Thomas explained, according to Stanford. “So when people ask me for advice about choosing software to improve productivity for themselves or their organizations, I ask them this question: ‘How will the software fit into the existing workflow management process?’ And often, we quickly uncover the real problem—there is no workflow management process.”

At the end of the day, Stanford noted that all staff members need to be prepared to use tools and follow policies as comprehensively as possible when implementing new solutions and strategies for ergonomics-related initiatives. However, these same suggestions can be invaluable when trying to improve any element of workflow or process management.

Technologies of note

Once the workforce has been readied for a new technological deployment, consider the following solutions and tools to support employees and processes:

• Workflow automation: Automation tools that work to streamline processes are among the best options available from an efficiency standpoint. So long as the company has digitized its workflow and document management frameworks, automation tools can often be easily and quickly integrated for rapid results.
• Centralized monitoring tools: Employees will be operating from the office and at home, and managers need a control center that allows them to monitor activity in a centralized and seamless fashion. Workflow monitoring tools can help to keep everyone on track and support users who need help regardless of where they might be.
• Mobility solutions: Workflows are becoming more mobile with the passing of each year, so make sure management tools are capable of handling activities that take place through smartphones, portable computers, tablets, wearables and other popular devices.

When organizations cover all of these bases, they will be rewarded with boundless opportunities to optimize the entirety of their processes and activities.

To learn how PairSoft can help your business capture, integrate and automate your business processes, feel free to watch our personalized demonstration or visit our case studies page to read about our clients’ success stories.