In search of improved company performance

By richard-battersby1 Comment
Do you suspect that your company performance could be better, but feel that finding a solution appears to be just out of your reach? In my role as mentor and business consultant I engage with many company directors, from various sectors of industry and commerce. Many of them describe how they seem to be working harder than ever at the moment, but still feel as if they are simply “treading water” . Very often they are not looking at the right measures, or they simply fail to measure the obvious. My advice to them is always to identify the key factors which will indicate good company performance. They should then establish simple systems to monitor these.  The purpose of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) is to provide a “dashboard” with which to highlight the current performance state and to forewarn of adverse trends. Even a small drift away from target may highlight the return of a known problem, or even reveal a...
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New technology? What about the users?

By richard-battersbyNo Comments
Do we pay enough attention to managing change in the workplace? How readily does your workforce adapt to change? Even the most trusted of your employees might feel uncomfortable with any initiative to change their working practices.  They suspect that the changes will disrupt their daily routine.  After all, they are comfortable with what they know, what they do, and how they try to resolve problems.  Could the proposed changes undermine their role security? After all, they have become “experts” in massaging the existing systems. You won’t necessarily see an overt reaction: It is more likely to be expressed covertly in a passive and non-cooperative form, possibly as an increase in absences from work, or through a reluctance to hand over vital information. What possible reasons are there for this behaviour? Employees feel comfortable with the status quo and their usual routine. Some people become anxious with the challenge of learning new things. People don’t want to be bothered with learning all over again. They fear being...
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