4 Signs Your Business Could Use an Organizational Development Specialist

When business operations seem to be getting out of control, it becomes essential to reassess and look at alternatives. Very often, however, busy organizations don't have the time or resources to initiate a complex process of analysis and change. Here are four signs that it might be time to bring in outside help.

Existing Methods Don't Work

Small-business processes that worked with less than a dozen employees won't work as effectively when you have a hundred people trying to coordinate their efforts. For example, new technologies and a different management approach may be needed when a small order fulfillment staff grows to multiple shifts or teams. It's wise to review the effectiveness of existing procedures at regular periods.

Too Many Mistakes

This can be a result of poor training, employee dissatisfaction, or poor leadership. Sometimes an entire department is to blame, from the executive down to the part-time help, for not raising alarms or seeking solutions. When employees are overworked, poorly supervised, or ill-supplied, mistakes are bound to occur. Mistakes are part of any human process, but when unacceptable error rates become the norm, it's time to step in and take control.

The Industry Has Changed

If you're using the same equipment and software you were five years ago, you may be overlooking technology that can lead to greater productivity. Computer programs and machines constantly evolve, from telephone systems to time-card software. Perhaps you can move away from a bulky in-house storage system to a cloud alternative, for example. Changing economic conditions could also mean adjusting prices or evaluating vendors. Management should be keeping a close an eye on competition and the marketplace.

Labor is Not Used Effectively

When some personnel seem overwhelmed and others idle, it's probably time to assess capacity vs demand for each department. Cross-training or re-allocating responsibility can help alleviate the problem. Such situations have led to a demand for a new kind of professional adept at managing budgets and procedures as well as people. A consultant qualified by a master’s in organizational development may provide the insights needed to optimize workflow.

25% of businesses fail in the first year, and the frequency only goes up over time: 71% barely make it for a decade. To be sustainable, companies must be ready for change. If there's an ongoing problem in any area it needs to be addressed before it spreads or becomes a major liability. Even if there are no obvious problems, if profitability is suffering or stagnant, a specialist at extensive reorganization may be a great help.