See 8 business improvement project ideas

In an increasingly competitive world, the search for business improvement project ideas must be constant.

Revenue, profitability, profit, market presence, lower operating costs, resource optimization and process automation are some examples of aspects that organizations are always looking to improve.

That is why we have gathered 8 business improvement project ideas here for you to get inspired by and apply to your business.

See also:

• Does improving your company’s management feel like a challenge? See 8 steps that can help youopens in a new tab
• Track your company’s Action Plans simply!

8 business improvement project ideas

Watch the video below from our YouTube channelopens in a new tab (in Portuguese) with project ideas you can apply to your management!

1. Management software

The possible uses of management software are varied: CRM, project management, marketing automation, financial management, communication, and so on.

An e-commerce company, for example, can issue an invoice automatically right after a payment is approved and also post the receipt in its financial indicator control system.

There are several financial management software products on the market, some with free versions or really affordable prices, such as QuickBooks ZeroPaperopens in a new tab (in Portuguese) and Bkperopens in a new tab.

Management software lets you automate certain tasks and, in this way, reassign human resources to other activities, creating more productivity.

2. Internal communication

Teams that communicate poorly, or do not communicate at all, can hurt the quality of work.

That is why it is a good idea for the company to build effective and efficient internal communication.

When, for example, the Marketing, Sales and Inventory departments do not communicate well, revenue suffers.

Simple actions, such as using bulletin boards, notice boards and an intranet, already help a lot to improve workflow.

Also try to be transparent with employees and others involved in the company’s processes, especially when it comes to numbers and decision-making.

Employees need to understand why decisions were made and how they will affect their work.

3. OKR methodology

The acronym OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. Simple, flexible and agile, this management methodology is used today by many successful companies, such as Google. Its goal is to promote engagement among employees and raise the organization’s productivity.

With a focus on results, OKRs are a set of objectives that relate to each other, and they can be cascaded and achieved individually or collectively.

For example, if the company’s objective is to increase production by 15% next semester, the key results to reach that objective could be hiring 10 more employees and investing in new equipment.

See some examples of Objectives and Key Results:

Download our free spreadsheet and start using the OKR methodology right now: OKR Methodology Spreadsheetopens in a new tab (in Portuguese)

4. Home office

Remote work is another of the great business improvement project ideas that digital transformation has brought.

A survey by Robert Halfopens in a new tab (in Portuguese; a recruitment specialist company) found that Brazil is among the three countries that do the most home office work.

According to the same study, the practice has grown 47% in the country since March 2015.

One of the reasons companies adopt home office is the gain in productivity and the reduction in operating costs.

In addition, professionals become more motivated to achieve results, because they gain the freedom to manage their own time.

How about trying to implement this idea in your company? You can, for example, set a specific day each week for your employees to do home office tasks.

5. Market research

Market research gives managers a broader view of the area where the company operates, guiding them when defining strategies and making decisions.

Doing good market research can identify problems and business opportunities. With it, you can collect and analyze information such as:

• Target audience profile;
• Level of customer satisfaction;
• Quality and performance of products and services;
• How the public receives a new product;
• How the public perceives the brand;
• Competitors’ strategies and actions, as well as their strengths and weaknesses;
• Market share;
• New market trends.

6. Team training

Investing in training and development of teams is an excellent way to encourage new ideas. Courses, talks, webinars and workshops directly affect employee performance.

Well-trained and skilled teams tend to make fewer mistakes, which reduces the amount of rework and, as a result, costs. Productivity then rises.

In addition, training is fundamental to aligning employees’ behavior and skills with the company’s objectives.

7. Organizational climate

Among business improvement project ideas, developing a light and pleasant organizational climate is another that can have very positive effects.

Social gatherings, flexible hours, a more informal dress code and good working conditions are examples of actions that contribute to a friendlier, more enjoyable organizational climate to work in.

In addition, it is essential that leaders cultivate a good relationship with their team members and try to be closer to them, with more horizontal dialogue.

This will help the manager earn the trust of their employees, who will then produce better.

But remember: building an organizational climate depends on a genuine, reciprocal relationship. An organizational climate is not imposed; it arises from values that everyone in the company refuses to give up.

8. Monitor the actions

Try to monitor the results of improvement actions in your company periodically. Monitoring makes it possible to identify certain failures and make the necessary adjustments along the way, before those failures turn into bigger losses.

Meet with employees at least once a month and give them the chance to say what difficulties they face in the pursuit of results. Give feedback to recognize when work is well done and to explain where improvement is needed.

Stratwsopens in a new tab is Siteware’s software designed to track performance indicators. With it, you can align the whole company around strategic goals and objectives, and also encourage communication and collaboration among the organization’s different areas.

Revolutionize your company’s management with Stratws.