In the corporate world, the term “process” refers to any activity developed within an organization. Be it customer service, contract signing, document management, customer prospecting or any other that is necessary to follow process management steps to drive the business to the desired results.
Precisely because it is something so important, it is always necessary for the manager and the team to regularly assess whether the way in which the firm has been operating is really suited to the needs of the business. This is exactly where the concept of processes management, so important to ensure the excellence of a company's operations.
After reading this content, you will certainly be ready to put this important concept into practice in your company. Good reading!
What, after all, is process management?
We can define the concept of managing organizational processes as a whole set of practices for mapping and continuous improvement of all activities developed – from the manager's own skills to the work of each employee in the institution.
To this end, strict attention to each sector of the company is indispensable – from the base to the top management. This is because the processes of each department influence the others, so that any mistake made by a certain sector can delay others and harm the results of the company as a whole.
This is especially important in these times marked by the fast dynamics of digital media and the highly competitive market, in which the public is increasingly likely to give up on a brand that does not meet their expectations, promptly changing it for another.
What is the importance of process management for companies?
The main importance of process management is that, by adopting it, you start to have a deeper knowledge about your own business, which is fundamental to integrate and improve the sectors that are part of the company.
The value chain makes you build a diagram in which all the company's activities are seen in a homogeneous way, so that the work of all professionals moves towards the corporate objective.
It's common for employees to focus only on what got them to their sheet: working to get paid after the end of the month.
However, reconciling this with the company's objective will give more incentive to the execution of tasks and a sense of professional growth. Also, because the processes, after being curated by your management, become clearer and more agile so that everyone knows what to do within their functions.
It is a methodology for remote services which makes all members have a greater synergy in terms of work from the moment they understand that they need each other, which creates a sense of responsibility and better engagement.
What are the characteristics of process management?
There are some factors that work as the pillars of process management, as we will see below.
Process architecture
The process architecture has the value chain as its main point, as it shows both the company's processes and the interactions they have, making clear the role of people within each process.
This practice emphasizes that a business is not composed of loose elements, but of actions that talk to each other, aiming at the benefit of all.
Process mapping
Process mapping tries to identify the objectives, activities and participants that make up a process, in order to assign the appropriate responsibilities to each one.
Another important function of mapping is the analysis of the material and financial resources needed for the development and monitoring of each process.
Standardization of processes
By organizing and developing standards that all members of the company must follow, you ensure that the work is carried out efficiently, as it prevents processes from going through many variations that, instead of helping, end up hindering their execution.
In addition, standardization also helps professionals to understand what their specific roles are within the processes and the duties they need to have as such.
Process modeling
Process modeling, or BPM (Business Process Modeling), brings the representation of all the company's processes, with the purpose of transforming and automating them.
Translating into practical terms, process modeling works with the layout of activities in order to demonstrate, in a clear, simple and objective way, the way in which the work should be conducted.
This graphic representation is an essential instrument to help those involved to understand the steps that mark the beginning, development and conclusion of each process.
Process transformation
Here we are referring to actions aimed at any and all procedural changes that aim to simplify and improve the way we work.
A good example of this type of action is the BPI (Business Process Improvement), a process optimization practice based on making small adjustments so that the work gradually gets better.
Another path that is quite popular among companies is the so-called process management, which consists of redesigning activities so that their focus is more on the processes themselves than on the departments involved.
If there is a need to radically change organizational processes, you can adopt BPR (Business Process Reengineering), so that the mapping is done again from scratch.
Process control
The continuous improvement of the company's performance demands that the processes are rigorously measured and controlled. Therefore, it is essential to constantly evaluate them through indicators, because if the goals are not met, it will be necessary to transform the process so that it adapts to the work reality.
⚠️ Also check out these related articles ????
➡️ Discover the real importance of process management in companies
➡️ People management processes: know what they are and how to use them
➡️ Learn what Kanban is and how to use it in your company
What steps make up process management?
Finally, we come to the main topic of this article: the steps that make up process management. Without further ado, let's get to them.
- Planning
This first step covers the verification of the main problems to be faced by each department of the company and the conclusion about which are the best ways to solve them.
It is also at this point that the KPIs must be identified, that is, the performance indicators that will be used throughout the project.
- Mapping
This is the moment to carefully analyze the company's internal processes, with the purpose of describing well all the activities that compose them.
It is necessary for the manager to closely observe each department, and the way each of its members works, in order to obtain a broad view of the business and its processes. It is based on this knowledge that specific targets and indicators for each sector will be established.
- Simulation
We have reached the stage that marks the beginning of the practical part: it is time to conduct interviews with your team members, in addition to other surveys that help to record the flows currently used in the firm.
Soon after, it is necessary to design a new flow of processes based on your business objectives, based on a projection of what the company's scenario will be like through the improvement of processes to be applied.
- Execution
It is at this stage that all the necessary resources are raised so that changes in processes can begin, from new tools and procedures to eventual changes to be made in the teams.
Implementing changes can be daunting for some employees. Therefore, it is up to the manager to emphasize the importance of this execution as something positive, since it will provide improvements in everyone's way of working and that the company's growth implies the growth of each professional.
- Real Time
After the implementation of the new processes, it will be necessary to monitor them, in order to check if all the professionals involved are following everything strictly and in accordance with the established indicators.
In this phase, it is important to consider elements such as the execution time, the costs involved, the productive potential, and the quality level of each process.
- Improvement
Anyone who thinks that, after implementing and implementing new processes, nothing else needs to be done in terms of improvement and optimization is wrong.
Process improvement is also a process in itself, and this process must be continuous. After all, monitoring and analyzing work will invariably reveal new points to optimize, as well as new tools that can be used.
Therefore, it is essential to keep in mind, from the beginning, that the conclusion of a cycle always gives rise to the beginning of a new one. each time a monitoring completes, the cycle starts again. The fact is that procedural changes are a constant factor for the business to keep continuously in innovation and not become plastered.
As you can see, process management is a subject as complex as it is important for any company. If you liked this content, how about sharing it on your social networks?
