How a workflow map can improve employee morale

On the May 30 episode of my Lykken on Lending podcast, I spent a few minutes discussing my observations on why some businesses succeed while others fail. In my time as a consultant, I've run into many different scenarios with leaders that caused organizations to lean one way or the other. But one of the most common problems I encounter is that organizations that are failing often don't solid workflow maps. Of course, there are all kinds of problems that come from not understanding how your processes fit together, but one of the biggest consequences I've noticed isn't one that's immediately apparent: the effect on employee morale.

Organizations that have clearly defined workflow and business process maps tend to have exceedingly higher employee morale. And, vice versa, employee morale tends to be lower in organizations that don't have those clearly defined roles in the context of the big picture. Why does this relationship exist? Here areas I've picked up on that are influenced by better workflow maps in an organization:

• Recruitment: Better and more committed talent is attracted to organizations with clearly defined roles.
• Mobility: Employees want to stay in organizations where they know they can move in a direction that is more suited to their skills and ambitions.
• Confidence: Employees feel better about what they're doing in their work when they know how it fits in with everything else.
• Turnover: Employees are more likely to stay with organizations when they can see how their work fits in with the whole.

A workflow map is essential for understanding how your business works, but it's quite possibly even more important for making your employees want to show up.