Sponsored Content
KNYSNA BUSINESS NEWS - You’re running your business. It’s close to your heart and represents the dream you’ve had for your life since you were 6-years-old.
At the moment, things are going pretty well. You have your accounts in order and you’re turning a profit. Sure, not all of the machines run quite as well as they used to, and sometimes your staff complain that they’re having to work overtime (again) and deadlines for important deliverables still aren’t being met.
But this comes with any business, right? Right?
Not right.
With Operations Management, the systems in a business can be slicker than John Travolta’s hair in Grease and smoother than Casanova.
What is the role of an Operations Manager?
The Operations Management refers to all operational administration in the business. An operations manager is hired in order to look after the systems of one or several departments within a company. The operations manager also looks to optimise structures, processes, and protocols to improve productivity and cost, such that the company can run as efficiently as possible.
In a nutshell, Operations Management is the supervision of the functions of a business in order to improve company performance.
The functions of Operations Management
With greatness comes responsibility. Winston Churchill said something similar and, while the context might differ, the sentiment stands. If a person wants to see excellence in their work, they have a role to fulfil, and it brings with it a set of responsibilities.
The specific duties in operations management are defined by the exact career, but there are several general tasks a good manager should undertake.
Planning
“Fail to plan, and plan to fail” is not just a fun saying, especially in any business management position. If any operations manager is looking to improve your oversight of a team of individuals, the planning phase is the first place to look. If you’re involved in the initial stages of a project or a campaign, it’s more likely that you’ll be able to see exactly what works and what fails from the get-go.
Budgeting
Planning involves looking at how much finance you have to work with from the beginning. While funds might come in unexpectedly during a project, it’s more likely that they’ll be spent on things that couldn’t be foreseen. This is where budgeting becomes both difficult and crucial.
If you’ve got budget planned before a project takes off, the operations you’re supervising will run with clarity and with no unnecessary financial stress attached to it. In operations management, you will either have to manage a budget you have been allocated across several departments, or you will have to manage the financial plans for specific projects or operations.
Staffing
An operations manager has both operations, such as systems and processes, as well as individuals to manage. This means that they will have a team of staff looking to them for instruction. If a staff member is not doing their job correctly, it could be wasting valuable time and resources and it is up to the operations manager to ensure that quality work is being done.
The manager might not have a direct say in who is hired in a company, they have the role of training that person up and making sure they know what they’re doing, and how to do it well.
How will Operations Management help a business?
Not only will an operations manager help a business run more smoothly, but they will also offer a critical role in improving the way systems are functioning such that processes across departments are at their cheapest and quickest possible.
This could range from looking after the speed of production in manufacturing to make sure that software is used to liaise between teams for efficient and clear communication.
Gaining Operations Management expertise
To gain skills in becoming an excellent manager, it is advised to take a course in Operations Management. This can be a way to upskill yourself as an operations manager, or as a way for a business owner to train up someone to take on the role to improve the systems of the company.
Work experience also counts as a great way to gain the necessary skills for delegation, optimisation, and management. Attending seminars or conferences in fields related to that of the company is another way to develop skills and expertise in operations management.
'We bring you the latest George, Garden Route news'
