Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1362655
A W A R D S & C U S T O M I Z AT I O N T H E R I S I N G T I D E O F B U S I N E S S 5 4 G R A P H I C S P R O S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M T H E R I S I N G T I D E O F B U S I N E S S Regardless of how many people you have at your company, or even if it is just you, clearly defining each of these areas and looking for ways to automate, delegate, or improve will pay dividends for your company's overall profitability. The cost of payroll for many companies can be 30% or more of gross rev- enue. And even if it is only you, you don't want to work for free. Otherwise, you have a hobby, and this is not the right article for you. 3 TIPS FOR SUCCESS If you are interested in improving your workflow and processes, you have some work to do, but it is not overwhelming. Just the act of reviewing and documenting your processes will make substantial improvements in your efficiency. The bigger picture requires some focused time; set aside that 15% to exhaustively document, make improvements, and implement systems. Fol- lowing, I share a couple of tips. Should you want more, I'm always happy to help — just reach out. Tip No. 1: Observe and document. The first step is to gather all the information and data. It doesn't have to be pretty, clean, or organized. I like to use sticky notes and a big blank wall to get started. This is also a great time to include others who might be involved with any of the processes. Tip No. 2: Get organized. Creativity and organization don't always go hand in hand, so make it a point to get organized and have a way to stay organized. If you are not organized, it will become more challenging to keep up as your business grows. Your business will become a jail that you are locked up in trying to get the job done, all while searching for that "thing" you need. I suggest organizing your production facility at least annually. The little things do matter. Can you move the scissors to a different place, buy an extra pair, and tie them to your workbench? Tip No. 3: Think about your digital organization, not just your physical space. Are you constantly recreating things? Do you have a system for creating mock-ups? Are you storing too many big files on your computer, slowing it down? Do you have trouble finding things when going from one workstation to another? Do you miss emails or have to scroll and scroll to find emails?