It’s a beautiful day, and you jump out of bed with boundless optimism that today you will be more productive and efficient. Only for the anchorperson to break the news of a full lockdown due to the worsening Pandemic. This news came as a big burden on the shoulders of your new startup.
Organizations with poor systematic procedures suffered the most during this time. Here’s where a standard operating procedure (SOP) management software comes into play.
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” - Lao Tzu
SOP software converts top-priority as well as normal everyday activities into a straightforward checklist. It helps managers keep a track record of employees' work.
Basically, the software contains a checklist of all the instructions an employee needs to follow to get the job done. The employee updates the system whenever they finish a task. Thus, it’s a brilliant solution to ensure employees abide by standard procedures. It is specifically a beneficial tool for startups to scale faster.
Why Should Your Business Have an SOP Management Software?
Document Workflow
A business hub with loads of people working together needs to document workflow. An SOP software will help you delegate the work and keep track of your employees’ progress.
When the employees have a routine of following an SOP, they’ll make fewer errors in the long run. Additionally, with the sword of check and balance hanging over their heads, employees will be more diligent and careful.
Easy Onboarding of New Employees
Hiring new employees is a daunting task, but what’s more difficult is helping to speed up their productivity and reach their highest potential.
A standard SOP gives the newbies a simple set of instructions on how to do something the way you want it done. This way they’ll be able to produce the quality you expect within a short period.
Anyone Can Follow the Checklist
“The checklist is one of the most high powered productivity tools ever discovered.” - Brian Tracy
A checklist is a calculated tool that anyone can follow. The employees follow the instructions in the set hierarchy. A checklist serves as a shortcut for any employee to follow the manager’s direction and achieve better results.
Top-Notch Performance Without Full-time Supervision
Do not expect everyone in your company to be self-motivated enough to work independently without a supervisor. The problem is that you can’t supervise everyone all the time.
Thus, following a standard SOP will make things easier for managers to keep up pace with those they are responsible for. Employees will follow a proven structure, update the work they’ve done, and managers will monitor the progress. A win-win situation for everyone!
Better Workflow and Team Integration
With everything designed in an easy checklist, a proper workflow is maintained. In this systematic design, each employee knows their part in the team and takes responsibility for it. In this way, the employee works as a team player to uplift the performance of the whole company.
One person’s task is often associated with another person’s duty. This pushes the team members to foster strong working relationships with each other for the greater benefit of the team.
Objectively Measure Employee Performance
Do you have employees who look busy but do nothing? Kill the dishonesty and unproductivity in your company by making the SOP software instructions mandatory for everyone.
When you’ve everything documented, you can judge the performance of every employee fairly. Accountability keeps everyone on their tiptoes and yields top-notch performance.
According to Benefit News, it costs nearly one-third of an employee’s annual salary to replace them. So, it’s wise to work to improve employee performance rather than risk the company such a loss.
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Criteria Your SOP Management Software Must Fulfill
1. Cloud-Based
An SOP management software must be cloud-based. So, those with the software credentials can access it from any device, anywhere in the world.
An added advantage is that if your PC has a problem, you’ll not lose the entire data of your company.
Instapage reports a staggering 15% year-over-year revenue growth for companies using cloud automation software.
2. Single Tool/ Software
Make sure to integrate all the SOPs in a single place or software. Switching between different software takes more time and energy. So, creating SOPs in the same software will help your employees save time in the long run. Thus, keep things centralized and use only one software.
3. Easy to Use and Edit
Some software is not easy to use and the employees end up wasting time figuring out how they work. That’s why you should always choose easy to use software. Furthermore, provide step-by-step tutorials to make the adoption process smooth.
On top of that, a good, cloud-based SOP software must also allow you to make edits in case you need to update the SOPs later.
Characteristics of a Powerful SOP
1. Well-Written
An SOP should be well-written, clear, and precise. It should be grammatically correct without typos and must NOT have any technical mistakes.
2. Free Templates
Include some free SOP templates for the managers to create similar or even new SOPs according to the department’s needs.
3. Specificity
The rule of thumb for an SOP is that they need to be department-specific. Generalized SOPs never yield the desired results. Make use of the expertise of top-level managers and generate an SOP for each department.
4. Permission Rights
Don’t forget to give permission rights to everyone in the company, otherwise, it will end in chaos for the managers.
How to Choose the Best SOP Management Software for Your Business?
Simple and Convenient
Is the functionality of the software easy? Is it quick? Will it save time? You need to answer these basic questions before choosing an SOP management software.
If your answers are affirmative, go ahead and buy the SOP management software for your company.
Quick and Effective Support System
Look for reviews regarding the software you want to buy. Check whether their customer support is quick and effective. A good support system is a key factor when choosing any SOP software.
Align with Organizational Needs
If you own a tech brand, an SOP software designed especially for the health niche will not align with your needs. So, always go for niche-specific software which can cater to your special needs.
Value for Money
Investing in pricey software is not always the best choice. Many software is just expensive and doesn’t provide any real value for money. Thus, go for a reasonable option.
Upgradable
An SOP software should have the option of upgrading and editing. That’s because you’ll always have something to add or subtract.
Conclusion
It’s of utmost importance to adapt to this new SOP software system to progress with the tech fraternity. Buy an upgradeable, simple, and reasonable software that aligns with your organization’s needs. We look forward to you sharing your company’s progress before and after the journey of using standard SOP management software.
