7 Hurdles to Clear for Effective Business Process Re-engineering
As business environments continue to progress at a rapid pace, it is crucial for companies to consistently modify and reassess their internal processes and the way they operate.
One approach to achieving this is through Business Process Re-engineering (BPR), a strategic method that involves rethinking and redesigning how work is performed to improve efficiency, flexibility and even profitability.
7 Barriers to Successful BPR Execution
1. Identifying and Prioritizing Processes for Re-engineering
One of the first obstacles to implementing BPR is correctly identifying which processes should undergo re-engineering. Not all processes are suitable candidates, and the selection process requires careful consideration and analysis.
To overcome this challenge, you should establish criteria for prioritizing processes. Some of the factors that could help narrow down the selection process include:
● The process's impact on customer satisfaction.
● Its contribution to the organization's
competitive advantage.
● The potential for cost savings or revenue generation.
You could
also use mapping techniques to visualize the current state of a given process,
locate bottlenecks, and see where re-engineering could be beneficial.
2. Resistance to Change
Implementing BPR often involves significant changes to existing processes and structures. Such changes can be met with resistance from your employees for a few reasons — for example, fear of job loss, increased workload or loss of control over their work.
Addressing employee opposition starts with organizations being as transparent as possible throughout the BPR initiative. Explain the reasons for the changes, the expected benefits, and the potential impact on your team. That way, you'll alleviate some of their fears and help them rally behind a common goal.
You could
also involve employees in the BPR process itself – solicit their feedback on
ideas, techniques, and technologies that could be used. This could foster a
sense of ownership and commitment to the new way of doing things.
3. Aligning BPR with Organizational Goals
For BPR initiatives to succeed, they must align with an organization's overall goals and objectives. Neglecting this step can lead to misdirected efforts, wasted resources, and a lack of support from key stakeholders.
To ensure your BPR efforts align with the business strategy, you should incorporate BPR planning into the overall strategic business planning.
For instance, if your organization's ultimate objective is to expand its market presence, you could concentrate on procedures that aid in achieving this, such as enhancing production efficiency or improving the customer journey.
Additionally,
you should regularly review and adjust the BPR process to ensure it remains in
sync with changing conditions and priorities.
4. Establishing Cross-functional Teams
Carrying out
BPR initiatives typically demands cooperative efforts from employees in various
departments and functional domains within an organization.
As the person in charge of assembling those teams, you'll want to carefully select people with masterful skills and experiences who can effectively contribute to the process.
Clarify the
roles and responsibilities and fill everyone in on the timeline and objectives.
This will improve the cross-functional teams' ability to work cohesively.
5. Managing Time and Resources
Balancing the time and resources required for BPR efforts with ongoing business operations can feel like walking a tightrope. You must allocate sufficient resources to your BPR initiative without compromising the day-to-day functioning of the business.
Start by
developing a realistic timeline to manage your resources more effectively. This
involves breaking down the project into smaller tasks, estimating the time
required for each one, and identifying dependencies between them.
6. Ensuring Continuous Improvement
7. Measuring BPR Success
The Road to BPR Success
BPR is a
multilayered undertaking with many facets to consider. But if done right, it
can help you question traditional working methods, eliminate workflow
inefficiencies, and transform how you approach business processes.
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