Leveraging process excellence to advance cultural transformation

Key takeaways

• Change management is much more than asking employees and associates to change their work behavior
• Process change is a prerequisite for change management and ultimately leads to cultural transformation
• Understanding how process, process change and continuous improvement fit in the big picture is key to success

Any new program, project or capability implementation – big, average or small – brings about changes in the organization and impacts its people. Success depends on how effectively we manage the change – understand how it will manifest, ensure the buy-in of key leaders, align all stakeholders, communicate clearly throughout its course and establish meaningful metrics. Change management does not happen simply by asking associates to change the way they work – it starts by changing the underlying operational, business and technology processes.

Understanding process, process change and continuous improvement

• All programs and projects consist of several processes with interdependencies
• Each process is designed to achieve expected output in efficient and effective manner
• Complex processes are broken down into simple, well understood and coordinated sub-processes
• Bottlenecks that impede the process flow are eliminated by focusing on the optimization of each element and its interactions
• Process change often uses a closed loop to monitor any divergence from expected outcomes and adjust inputs, its treatment, people skills, training and tools to correct the course
• Continuous improvement takes process change to the next level by linking improved outcomes to cost optimization, employee productivity and client satisfaction

The role of process documentation

Process documentation provides a shared understanding of the inputs, treatment and technology necessary for consistent and predictable outcomes. It ensures effective communication and coordination across teams, organizations and stakeholders.

How to ensure process excellence

Process excellence does not equate to disruption or added complexity. Rather, it is the understanding and mastery of each step and process that leads to overall excellence and often, simplified operations. For lasting impact, it must be supported by a strong organizational culture that allows its people to learn from mistakes, provides autonomy to create solutions and believes in a ‘be ultimately right, not just fast’ philosophy. Call us today to learn how you can transform your business through process excellence.