One of the biggest challenges a smaller agency faces is the transition between being small, agile and process-light, to having so many people, clients and projects that process becomes a necessity. We’ve written elsewhere on the topic of how much process is enough, and what elements of process an agency shouldn’t do without. But while we’ve touched on how process relates to agency culture, we haven’t dug deeply into how culture can be used to make process an agency value.
Getting Everyone On Board
How do you merge process into the agency’s culture? How do you get everyone to participate in the daily administrative tasks of time posting, internal communications and sign-offs? In a typical creative agency, you will find lots of fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants personalities—the kind of people who regard process as dead weight and for whom “winging it” is a watchword. How do you get these people to embrace workflow just enough that the system will work for the rest of the agency?
Here are the steps to embedding workflow processes into your culture
Brainstorm your workflow system. The first, most important step in embedding workflow into agency culture is to get employees vested in the process. That means bringing everyone to the table to review the system, purge unnecessary steps, and tag those steps you absolutely need to have “just enough” process to facilitate scheduling, estimating, billing and account service. By involving all of your team, you give them ownership of process. “This is your system,” you say to them. “You are now responsible for running the system you have helped to build.”
Identify “must do” elements of the system. What must every employee take responsibility for? E.g., time posting, scheduling, input forms, change orders and client contact reports. Enforce participation!
Train. Digital workflow management systems—even lean project management systems—have a learning curve, and are typically more complex than old-style manual systems. Even manual systems require some training. Hold semi-annual refresher sessions to remind everyone of key processes, or integrate changes to the system.
Lead from the top. Model the behaviors you want employees to follow. Post your own time, file CCRs, sign-off on proofs—and make sure employees see your actions.
Identify process leaders. Make the people who do it right, and consistently, your process champions.
Include system training in new employee orientation. Assign mentors to help them learn processes.
Annually review system efficiency/productivity. Highlight successes and recognize champions. This can be part of your annual planning meeting.
Ask employees to recommend ways to streamline or improve processes. Opt for lean processes wherever you can to enhance productivity.
Agency managers need to keep an eye on workflow processes and systems to make sure they don’t start weighing down the agency, creatively or from the perspective of agility. If process starts to slow down the work, making you less productive and efficient, hold another brainstorming session to review your process and determine ways to streamline or eliminate steps.
Workflow, like agency culture, should evolve and adapt to your agency’s changing needs. If you embed workflow best practices into the daily culture, much of this evolution will happen organically, as your “champions” initiate leaner processes and find ways to be more efficient. Take steps today to align systems and culture, and then stand back and watch the agency hum like a well-oiled machine.
