We are usually so busy that maintenance and improvements to equipment, systems, processes, and people often get put off to someday down the road. One blessing of the current slow down is that businesses who have been too busy in the past can perform some much-needed maintenance and upgrades now.
Processes are often the best place to make improvements, and we have decided to implement EOS the Entrepreneurial Operating System, which is a management system similar to Scaling Up. From Lean to ISO, having a management and quality system in place is an important thing for any business to have in order to streamline communication and decision-making processes already in place for these turbulent times.
Many companies run on systems and often software systems from Enterprise Resource Planning platforms like SAP or Sage, to a CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) for maintenance. These implementations or replacements can be onerous but result in amazing improvements. We are just finishing implementing a new ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to help us work with the thousands of candidates, clients, and jobs we have managed.
Last but definitely not least, now is the time to ensure we maintain and upgrade our people. Paying attention to the needs of key individuals in our organization is very important and it is time to have conversations and regular check-ins with each team member. For those that may be underperforming, close attention and real difficult conversations are necessary. Having the right people on the bus, as Jim Collins (Good to Great) would say, is more important than ever.
Kael Campbell is President and Lead Recruiter of Red Seal Recruiting Solutions, a company providing recruitment services in mining, equipment and plant maintenance, utilities, manufacturing, construction, and transportation. When he is not recruiting, Kael spends as much time as possible with family in the great outdoors and on the water. He volunteers his time as a Board Member of the Entrepreneurs Organization of Vancouver Island. We have a wide variety of services to help you find the best employees. See how we can help on our Recruiting Solutions page.