How Companies, Large and Small, Are Missing the Boat

I have not only held administrative positions during my career, but have also run my own small business. Over the years I have worked for large corporations and small companies. Both of them tend to make the same mistakes. Some of the reasons these errors are made;  no proper chain of command, training deficiencies and lack of defined roles. Many in administrative roles also micro-manage. They may want to have someone else do a project or task, but can't let go and allow them to do it.

What follows is what I observed while in the employment of some of these companies:
  • No defined roles for employees, and no back-up for absences.
  • Too many hands touching the same thing, which not only produces a repetition of work, but leads to greater chances of error.
  • Not enough employees to properly handle the work load which causes burn-out, and lack of loyalty.
  • No proper training programs.
  • No written instructions for how a task needs to be completed so it is difficult for someone to fill-in when needed.
  • Projects and tasks being done at the last minute which leads to things being done too quickly. No time to think it through so many times it needs to be done over, wasting time and money.
 If companies took the time to do a few basic things, not only would things run smoother, but they would have a more loyal and content workforce, and it would require less capital to run the company.
  • When hiring ensure that the right person is brought on board.
  • Make sure employees are trained prior to dropping them into the daily mix.
  • Cross-train for vacations and unexpected absences. You never know when a situation arises and someone is out for more than a day or two.
  • Plan your projects and tasks as much as possible. Making sure you are ahead of schedule can help stop the hurry up and mess up problem.
Every company wants to make a profit. However, if they don't have a clear organizational chart and if they don't take care of their employees, either they will not be profitable or they will fail. Continuously throwing money at a problem without changing your approach only causes the problem to remain.

As the saying goes......doing the same things and expecting a different outcome is called insanity.

 

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