Before I begin, this is a shortened version of the Live I did on January 17th, 2023. If you would like to watch the video, you can do so here: Watch “We have SOPs but” Replay
Now, to the written portion. In this article, I’ll be covering three reasons why SOPs “fail” and solutions to avoid and/or improve on for better team management and efficiency.
Problem 1: SOPs/Documentation is disorganized. Oftentimes this problem stems from a lack of clarity around long-term vision, no exit plan strategy from the Owner/CEO or the company growing faster than planned.
Solution: Take it back to the beginning. Map out the Mission, Vision, Short term goals, long-term goals, Exit plan in business, the type of people needed to carry out the vision, etc.
And, of course, make sure ALL of this is documented to keep track!
Problem 2: Not accessible. SOPs are kept in too many places (or non-existent) to the point that your team can’t access them easily.
Solution: Keep the “team” portion of SOPs in ONE place. I personally recommend Trainual. P.S. The Lazy millennial can help with transitioning data to your software of choice!
Problem 3: Not inclusive. Gone are the days of the extra-long training videos and small font packets. Leaders need to anticipate what kind of people they are bringing into their company and make an environment that *truly* is inclusive.
Solution: Having a variety of ways for people to digest information. This means shorter videos, captions on videos, bigger font on text-based processes, “blog-style” processes, and more!
These little swaps can significantly improve your team’s performance. If this sounds like something your company needs, send a message or fill out the contact form on our website here: Contact TLM
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