Yearly Workflow Audit - A Year In Review

Quinton on Jan 24, 2019

2018 Workflow Audit

How was 2018 for your business? Some successes and some struggles? If you want to start 2019 with the best foot forward for your business, then a 2018 workflow audit that reviews your past year can be a great place to start. So, why, when planning for a new work year, do you need to look at the past year in review?

1. A change in goals

If you are starting 2019 with a new business approach, then it is likely that your workflow is outdated. In some cases, starting a new workflow from scratch may be required. However, in most cases, it is much easier to conduct a workflow audit and work out which aspects need to change and which tasks will benefit any new goals you have. For most businesses, a change in goals will be an improvement to processes rather than an overhaul, so a 2018 workflow audit review is well worth the undertaking.

2. New team members

Workflows can be incredibly beneficial in keeping all of your team on track and able to function without constant supervision. With the right workflows in place, team members can work independently almost from when they start in your organization. However, with experienced teams, workflows can seem streamlined and confusing to new starters. If you plan to recruit new team members in 2019, then auditing your workflows can help you to check whether you have all of the necessary steps that can help new recruits. Furthermore, it may also be necessary to create a workflow for your on-boarding process too.

3. You are not getting results

Your workflows should assist your team in getting the results you are looking for. If your business isn’t achieving targets or is falling short of your expectations, there may be an issue with your current workflows. Conducting a 2018 workflow audit can give you a look at the facts so you can examine where process improvements can be made. Remember, if the workflow isn’t working for you. It is time to review.

How to conduct your 2018 workflow audit

1. Identify

Work out which workflows are active and inactive. You should then categorize your workflows as ones that are effective and ineffective as well as which need to be reimplemented and then prioritize the order for auditing. Remember, effective workflows should also receive an audit as you can still make improvements. If you have redundant and inactive workflows, then it may be best to delete these before you begin auditing.

2. Get organized

If you have many workflows in use, then it is important to organize them logically, so they are easy to find and use. Creating a naming convention can help when auditing and organizing workflows. With the naming conventions consider the goal of the workflow as well as the topic and related departments.

3. Keep auditing

While an annual audit can be an excellent time to review your processes, it is important to remember that you may need to complete workflow audits more regularly than every 12 months. However, it is a good place to start. If you want to make a change or want to improve your results, keep auditing and reviewing so that your business has the workflows in place that make a difference.

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