How the K.I.S.S.S. Principle Upgrades Your Staffing Operations
By Scott Wintrip, recruiting and hiring expert, author of High Velocity Hiring
Staffing leaders know that improving operational effectiveness is crucial. The road to operational efficiency, however, can be long and ineffectual. It’s more important than ever to focus on a process that maximizes your time, effort, and resources to get things done.
So how do you get started on your path to maximizing operational effectiveness?
The K.I.S.S. principle has long needed an update
You’ve likely heard a popular version of the K.I.S.S. principle—keep it simple, stupid. This idea is needlessly demeaning; it’s also incomplete. A simple process, by itself, does not assure an effective operation. Instead, a plan that allows for improved and sustained efficiency and productivity has three components: it is short, simple, and specific.
By designing an approach that keeps it short, simple, and specific (K.I.S.S.S.), leaders make each stage of change management more likely to be accomplished. Implementation is faster because the process is shortened to only the essential steps required for success. This shortened process is simple, making it easier to succinctly communicate and educate what is changing. What’s communicated is specific, detailing what is to be done, by whom, and by when. This specificity makes the process changes memorable for the long-term.
Your path to K.I.S.S. starts with your answers to these questions
How can you K.I.S.S.S. your way to operationally effective processes? Start by answering these questions and taking action based on what you learn.
- Where does your recruiting, sales, or onboarding process slow down? Stall out?
- Which aspects of these processes seem complex, burdensome, or redundant?
- In what ways are staff members working hard but getting little to no results in return?
- How can you shorten these inefficient methods?
- What steps can you take to simplify each ineffective part of the process?
- How could detailing specific tasks keep people from wasting time, effort, and resources?
The goal is to keep your focus on what brings results
Asking these questions allows your organization to identify the root causes of process problems. Understanding these root causes will allow you to devise next steps for improving operational efficiency.
Shortness, simplicity, and specificity break down complex problems. They give you a place to start. So what’s stopping you from getting started with the K.I.S.S.S. principle?
