Introduction
This is the first, in a series of articles that will be focused on the critical components of a work at home processing option. If your product or service has the potential of being provided remotely and you can trust that customer requirements can be consistently be met, then remote work may be a viable alternative.
Let’s begin with the concept that all saleable products and services are the result of a process. The client or customer expects a certain set of results or outputs. In order to provide them, your organization takes certain inputs and changes the nature or state of them through activities and provides an output, a product or a service. Many successful remote processing companies use a foundational methodology called BPM or Business Process Management. There are many variations of this methodology. The Continuous Improvement Institute has over the course of years, evolved its BPM methodology into a 3-phase discipline.
Map Measure and Manage
The beauty of the “3-M” methodology is that it sets the stage for ongoing continuous improvement activities such as “Lean” which positively impacts efficiency and reduces costs and Six Sigma which improves process effectiveness, improving product or service quality. In short, BPM sets the stage for remote work by:
Mapping or
Documenting the process to a high level of detail
Documenting specific customer expectations
Documenting input or supply requirements
Measuring
Establishing ongoing data collection methods and reporting for
Inputs and supplies
Process or Service tasks and activities
Output performance of products or Service (from the customer or client perspective)
Managing
Process Management Plans to maintain production or service performance
Process Reaction Plans to guide the activities in the event that the process is not performing to expectations
Disaster Recovery Plans to address the rare situations when the process or service fails
The properly controlled “Remote” or “Work at Home” environment requires this documentation and control to ensure that the customer receives what would normally come from the “non-remote” environment. Feedback obtained from many companies indicate that their “Work at Home” efforts are untrustworthy and uncontrolled. Companies that have established BPM systems measure and manage appropriately, responding accordingly and do not have the insecurities that arise in a non-BPM environment.
Clear communication of Performance Expectations and Measures?
Establishing a successful Work at Home process requires more than a well-documented process. Also required is a workforce that is fully aware of the performance expectations and strict adherence to the process requirements. An excellent way to look at this is that an effective process eliminates all of the excuses for “non-performance.” A common excuse given for not meeting expectations is often, “I didn’t know that is what you wanted!” BPM takes that excuse way along with a set of proactive measures that catch and report on potential problems before the customer or client is affected. These two elements of BPM address the most significant concern of companies and organizations utilizing a “remote” environment. This is accomplished by making the remote worker self-monitoring and providing them with an understanding of EXACTLY what is expected and what is required to meet those expectations, a way to measure it AND a way to manage and react to the ramifications directly related to each breach of performance.
The “New Normal” will include “Work at Home”
The future of the production and service industries may, very well, require that they have a segment of its operations capable of a functional and seamless “remote” environment. The Cii BPM lays that groundwork for the future. In preparation for the “New Normal” companies and organizations should consider BPM to remove the excuses and meet customer or client needs in every situation it may encounter.