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Driving process governance and improvement for sustainable business success
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Published
13 November 2024
In today’s business landscape, organisations are increasingly turning to process governance to enhance operational efficiency, promote compliance and drive sustainable growth. This approach aligns closely with the insights from APQC’s survey report on Best Practices in Process Improvement 2024.
Process management, when treated like a business, brings clear structure, accountability and focus, ensuring both incremental and breakthrough improvements.
At Implement, we believe that process governance is not just a framework but a way of leading organisations towards a future of sustained excellence. It is about creating a culture where every process is managed with the same rigour and strategic intent as a CEO would manage a product lifecycle. This mindset ensures that process managers and teams are not just executors but visionaries who drive strategic decisions and take ownership of their initiatives’ success.
Leading like a CEO
The role of process governance mirrors that of a CEO managing the product lifecycle. Process managers and teams are tasked with setting a vision, driving strategic decisions and taking ownership of the overall success of their initiatives.
According to the APQC survey, 55% of leadership teams welcome process improvement opportunities and acknowledge their importance. This demonstrates a strong understanding of how critical these efforts are to a company’s strategic objectives in today’s business.
The state of process improvement programmes
Organisations face a common challenge in aligning process improvement initiatives with strategic objectives. According to the APQC survey, nearly 40% of organisations strategically prioritise their process improvements based on their connection to organisational goals, while 53% consider the impact on the customer. A focus on strategic goals ensures that resources are deployed in ways that yield high returns on investment (ROI), both financially and in terms of customer satisfaction.
Additionally, the APQC survey indicates that over 50% of organisations have reported improvements in efficiency, productivity and cost savings from their process improvement efforts. These gains stem from a systematic approach to identifying and prioritising improvements, driven by managers, process owners and improvement teams. Notably, 78% of organisations adhere to a defined process improvement methodology, ensuring that their continuous improvement efforts remain sustainable.
End-to-end process governance: ensuring alignment and sustainability
Effecting process governance works best when it is applied across the entire value chain, often referred to as end-to-end (E2E) processes. From “order-to-cash” to “hire-to-retire” processes, companies excelling in process governance map the entire journey to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies that may hinder progress or even increase costs. Insights from the 2024 APQC survey reveal that while 45% of organisations manage and monitor process improvement projects at the department or business level, many are increasingly striving for enterprise-wide integration.
Sustaining process governance improvements over time requires a strong framework. According to the 2024 APQC survey, 54% of organisations depend on established process documentation standards and rules, while improvement tools such as dashboards, stakeholder engagement and check-ins further support sustainability. These tools help companies to track progress, make data-driven decisions and continually refine their processes to meet evolving business needs.
Global process governance and ownership implementation – what it is and the benefits in a nutshell
Leveraging technology for process improvement
Technology has become a vital enabler of process governance and improvement. Tools such as process mining, robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligent decision engines are used to optimise workflows, enhance efficiency and automate manual tasks.
The 2024 APQC survey confirms that organisations frequently see a 6-10% increase in productivity and efficiency from implementing such technologies.
So, how do you drive success through process excellence?
Organisations that prioritise process governance as a critical business function position themselves for long-term success. By aligning process improvements with strategic goals, continuously evaluating opportunities for improvement and leveraging technology, we can accelerate growth, enhance compliance and deliver exceptional outcomes for customers and employees.
To fuel our transformation, we need to become a process-driven organisation, and to succeed with process governance, we need to balance these six essential areas
Remember, process governance is a continuous improvement journey. Establishing a clear vision, empowering cross-functional teams and using data-driven tools to track and enhance performance are essential steps. This approach will ensure that your process improvement initiatives address immediate needs and contribute to future sustainable growth.
By adopting these practices, organisations can transform process governance from a theoretical concept into a practical, hands-on approach that delivers tangible benefits and drives sustainable business success.
Top 4 tips for succeeding with your process governance
1. Lead like a CEO
Encourage your process managers to think and act like CEOs. Equip them with the tools and authority to make strategic decisions and hold them accountable for the outcomes. This top-down commitment is crucial for embedding process excellence into the organisational culture.
2. Align process improvement initiatives with strategic goals
Our experience shows that aligning process improvement initiatives with strategic goals significantly enhances the impact. Using tools like strategic alignment matrices and customer journey maps ensures that every improvement initiative is directly tied to your organisation’s long-term vision and customer needs.
3. Apply process governance across the entire value chain
Start by mapping your key E2E processes. Use process mapping tools to visualise workflows, identify pain points and prioritise areas for improvement. Engage cross-functional teams to ensure a holistic view and foster collaboration across departments.
Standardise your process documentation and leverage digital dashboards for real-time tracking. Regular stakeholder check-ins and feedback loops are essential for maintaining alignment and agility in your process improvement initiatives.
4. Integrate digital transformation into your process improvement strategy
Investing in cutting-edge technologies and training your workforce to leverage these tools effectively can significantly boost efficiency and position your organisation as an innovator. This integration not only drives operational efficiency but also enables businesses to scale, maintain compliance and mitigate risks. Moreover, process automation enhances customer and employee experiences, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates across the board.
