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Efficiency and effectiveness through improved business process

Municipal governments and other public sector entities face pressures to increase efficiency and effectiveness of operations with limited financial resources. As such, it is critical business processes are designed in a way that limits bottlenecks, reduces duplicative efforts, and reduces processing time. It is also imperative organizations effectively use technology to automate and streamline processes across departments and divisions. By becoming more “lean” the organization can then devote its time and resources to delivering the services on which its constituents rely.

Organizations wrestling with efficiency and effectiveness often struggle to answer these types of questions:

  • Are our processes and policies aligned to industry best practice?
  • Are our standard operating procedures streamlined across departments and divisions?
  • Do we leverage our current technology to automate processes?
  • Do we duplicate any steps in our processes, creating waste and inefficiency?
  • Do our quality assurance and internal control processes adequately address operational risks?

When an organization is faced with these questions, conducting a business process review will enable the organization to increase efficiency and improve overall operations.

Conducting a business process review

A business process review can take a three-phase approach and often involves these activities:

  • Phase 1 – Current state documentation and gap analysis: The organization’s policies and procedures are reviewed, walkthroughs are conducted with management and line staff, and a gap analysis is executed to develop initial findings and recommendations.
  • Phase 2 – Future state assessment: Follow-up interviews are conducted and findings and recommendations are vetted. There is also an assessment of using enhanced technology to address the initial findings.
  • Phase 3 – Comprehensive reporting: A comprehensive report is developed to include current and future state process flow diagrams as well as address other areas of concern and opportunities for improved operations.

Not only should the exercise identify opportunities to improve business process, but the process flow diagrams can be used in a variety of ways, such as a resource to new employees during the on-boarding process or to familiarize auditors and internal auditors with operations.

For more information on this topic, or to learn how Baker Tilly state and local government specialists can help, contact our team.

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