Are you feeling overwhelmed at work despite having a full team? Are deadlines consistently missed even with a full staff? Does it seem like projects are constantly stalling, and new initiatives are impossible to tackle? You might be facing common productivity challenges that many HR teams encounter. In the post-Covid fast-paced HR world, the need for efficiency and strategic foresight has never been greater.

HR is at the center of every organization. It is usually the first (and last) department employees encounter. HR teams constantly receive, send, and have access to enormous amounts of information and data. And with all of this data come processes.

Because HR is the nucleus of any company, the numerous processes needed to work together to function seamlessly can easily and quickly become cumbersome, outdated, or, unfortunately, undocumented. We have all been through a situation where one employee holding who holds all the legacy knowledge of a company leaves or moves to another team, and because all of their knowledge was not formally documented, teams are forced to start over, building up that knowledge. But even if your organization is great at documenting processes, there is still a need to review last month’s process or SOP and verify it is still best practice or working as intended. Either way, the quality of the processes used every day can minimize or maximize the service levels of the HR team.

Cue the despair: at this point, when faced with having to document new processes or review existing ones, HR teams, and business professionals might be tempted to get caught up in the vortex of “We don’t have enough time,” “We need more staffing” or “We don’t have the money to hire more people.” Let’s be honest: there is never enough time, resources, or budget. But it’s not all doom and gloom. In fact, HR teams and business professionals already understand and recognize work inefficiencies and “waste.” In my opinion, recognition isn’t the problem. The problem is what to do once inefficiency and waste are identified?

Great news! The solution is Continuous Improvement (CI). CI techniques, derived from proven and tested methodologies like Lean and Six Sigma and Organizational Change Management, give HR teams the necessary tools to streamline processes, eliminate waste, and ultimately build more capacity for high-level, strategic work. By using these techniques, HR teams can transform routine operations and better align their efforts with organizational goals. Even better news: the only baseline skills needed are commitment and a little time (and maybe a dash of patience).

So, what is CI in HR?

CI is a mindset that encourages HR teams to regularly assess their workflows, identify inefficiencies, and implement solutions that enhance productivity. It’s not about unwieldy year-long projects, massive project teams, and endless meetings. It’s all about incremental advancements and regular refinement of processes. This approach not only reduces time spent on administrative tasks but also fosters a culture of proactive problem-solving and innovation.

CI is most useful in examining existing core HR processes and functions and assessing capacity—knowing what tasks are currently being done, how much time it takes to complete those tasks, and whether the tasks are being done by the right person. Assessing capacity is the necessary foundation for making all business decisions based on data. CI techniques also create the time and space needed for a deep dive into any process that consumes a lot of time but isn’t producing proportional results.

Here are a few examples of areas in HR that CI can positively impact:

• Onboarding
• Recruitment and hiring
• Optimizing employee and leadership development programs
• Payroll
• Large company culture change
• Introduction of new technology systems/apps

One of the most difficult parts of integrating CI is deciding where to start. But that’s where HEC can help. We can work closely with your team and company to tailor a CI solution since every company is different. With our help, you can avoid getting into the well-intentioned but inefficient habit of starting multiple projects at one time but slowly progressing through them (or not finishing any). Together we can identify a CI solution that creates the most impact for your company and spreads that improvement exponentially into other areas. While admittedly this could lead to other initiatives and projects, now you have a roadmap in your pocket on how to begin your CI journey. With that roadmap, a little time, and dedication to improvement, your CI journey is promising. If you’ve heard the infamous quote, “Continuous Improvement is better than delayed perfection,” you know that the sooner your CI journey begins the sooner you will see the benefits CI brings to your teammates and employees.

Joe Bolton is the Strategic Solutions Manager at HEC. Please reach out to Joe with any questions on how CI can impact your organization or if you’d like to schedule a training or consultation. Join us for "Introduction to Strategic Solutions and Continuous Improvement Techniques" for an overview of the exclusive new services offered to HEC members.