What is a work flow?
Work flow is the sequence of activities that must be undertaken in order for the task or goal to be completed.
A work flow occurs for any task, big or small.
In retail, for example, it may be the process of opening the store – the lights are switched on, the sales terminal is turned on, and the doors are unlocked and opened for customers.
In construction, for example, it could be the process of building a new house – the foundations are put down, the frame is built, the bricks and roof tiles are laid, and the interior appliances installed.
Sometimes, there is a set order in which tasks are completed – for example, the interior appliances for a new home cannot be installed before the bricks and roof tiles are laid.
However, there may be times when the order varies because one activity is not dependent on another. For example, the sales terminal could be turned on before the lights of the store. However, both must be completed before the door is opened.
Some tasks may be able to be completed simultaneously, while sometimes delays may need to be factored into the work-flow process.
A work flow may apply to an individual, for example an accountant understands the series of tasks that they need to complete to compile a financial report that their finance manager has requested.
Or, the work flow may apply to a team, such as the accountant’s report is needed before the finance manager can collate a series of reports to brief the general manager.
The benefits of organising work flow
Adopting a formal work flow can help employees operate in a number of ways.
Onboarding
Outlining work flow can be particularly helpful to new employees who can use it while they get up to speed with a rhythm of their daily duties and they become second nature.
For example, a receptionist can be advised their computer program can be slow to open, therefore their work flow is to open the program before they unlock the front doors of the business. By the time they return to their desk, the program is ready to use and they have not wasted time doing nothing while they wait for the program to load.
Accountability
A clear work flow will ensure that employees are aware of their responsibilities and ensure that they are completed.
Without a work flow, it may be easy to forget to complete a task and skip to the next stage, but with one, the employee’s duties are clearly outlined.
For example, a customer service officer may need to request information from a caller before proceeding with a change to an account. By having a work flow to hand, they can ask all the required questions to ensure the identity of the caller before proceeding.
Troubleshooting
Having a formal work-flow process in place can make it easier to see where delays or hold-ups occur, identify problems more quickly, enable improvements to be made to future processes, and hold problematic parties accountable for their actions.
For example, at a café, a customer may complain that their meal has not been delivered to their table yet. By checking along the work flow, the manager can determine if the waiter has been alerted that the meal is ready to be delivered, if the chef has cooked the meal, or if the waiter has delivered the order to the chef. This prevents the chef being incorrectly blamed if the waiter was at fault, and vice versa. Once the cause of the problem is revealed, a new process can be implemented to prevent them from occurring in future, such as a new communication tool implemented between the waiter and the chef.
Transparency
A work flow can help employees identify their role, as well as who they may need to chase to get the information or materials they require to be able to do their part.
For example, a graphic designer who knows that they will receive a brief from a marketing officer to create new advertising material will be able to directly liaise with that employee, rather than ask the project manager or another member of the project team for the information that they require to proceed.
Reduce costs
Having a formal work flow can help leaders to visualise the progress of a project and identify where efficiencies can be made.
For example, a manager may identify that two stages in the work flow can be completed by different employees concurrently, such as a finance report and a marketing report completed by the respective employees at the same time. Or, one stage could start earlier to speed up the process, such as obtaining quotes to purchase new materials while approvals are obtained for the additional outlay.
What tools are available to help with work flow?
Specialised work-flow management software can be purchased and may be a good solution to managing complex projects, especially ones that involve several stakeholders and multiple employees.
However, work flow can be streamlined simply by using a chart, diagram or checklist.
There are many free online templates that business leaders can use to develop their own work flow, but to compile it, each format will require the same information.
- The task at hand: Identify the end result for the work flow.
- The steps required: Identify all the tasks that will be required to be completed to achieve the end result.
- Timelines: Determine how long each step will take.
- Feedback: Seek input from others involved or who have experience to ensure all steps have been identified.
This information can then be sorted and placed in the appropriate place in the chart, diagram or checklist.
What information should be included in a work flow?
While a chart, diagram or checklist may not have much physical space to include a lot of detail for each stage, there are some key bits of information that can be included to ensure the process is clear to all users.
Assign a short name
Ensure it is still specific to the task. For example, ‘report’ may be all that is required to identify that the project is at the report-compilation stage.
However, within the report, several stages may be required, such as information may need to be sourced, the content written, and the facts checked.
Identify if further detail should be included in the label, or if further stages should be inserted into the work flow.
Outline the assignee
Writing the name of the person or the department responsible for completing the stage can be very useful to provide transparency to other parties and reinforce accountability.
Insert a deadline
If relevant, inserting a deadline into each stage can ensure all parties are aware of the timeline and prioritise their own workloads.
Some work-flow templates will have a timeline included in the format that can streamline the inclusion of this information.
Use links
Inserting hyperlinks into a digital work-flow document can be an easy way of adding extra information, without taking up space.
For example, an assignee’s name can include a link to their email address, so that other parties can email this worker if they have any questions or problems. Or, a stage labelled as ‘report’ can include a link to another chart that outlines the work flow for compiling the report.
A work flow may take a little time for business leaders, managers or employees to set up, but in the long run it may save them time having to chase their tail to solve problems.
It may also save time and money which will have long-lasting benefits for the business.
