The Power of Making the most of it

By Sarah Riggott, Chief Operating Officer – Roq

As I move into my Chief Operating Officer role and speak to more people in this space, I keep hearing about the focus on “doing more with less”. It comes up in conversations in different ways but mostly talking about internal efficiencies and prioritisation.

The 2023 squeeze

The latter end of 2023 definitely saw a squeeze on budgets and a focus on achieving more at less cost. This phrase “doing more with less” comes up a lot, but what do people actually mean by it?

A quick Google search suggests it’s about reducing waste and maximising output, which directly supports the increased efficiencies I have heard mentioned, but what if we break it down…

“Doing more”

• More than what/when?

• Achieving more?

• Producing more?

• Is more always a good thing?

• Is less not more?

“With less”

• Less than what/when?

• Less money?

• Less time?

• Less people?

• Is less always worse?

• Is less not more?

Managing expectations

Generally, companies still ultimately want the same or increased outputs even when they have less time, money and people to spend. However, prioritisation and efficiencies can only take you so far.  There comes a point where attempting to do more with less is actually doing more damage than good and any potential efficiencies that were being pursued are not achieved.

A divisive rift can develop between the company expectations and the employee experience – a misalignment where essentially the company expects more and the employees expect less.

For example, working the people who are left into the ground has a big impact on employee wellbeing and the overall employee experience. If budget cuts also impact employee benefits, the working environment and the perks that employees had before; the negative impact is more acutely felt. Demotivated employees and growing resentment towards the company will ultimately have a direct negative impact on client experience.

The phrase itself “doing more with less” has negative connotations.  People assume they will have to take on more work for the same, or maybe less, reward. Altering a picture like this that has already formed is an uphill battle, but one worth fighting.

Positive outlook

We need to change the language we use and shift the focus. Rather than doing more with less we should focus on making the most of what we have and change the narrative to reflect this. Maximise the potential in every process, system, and person. Play to people’s strengths and empower them.

My grandma always said:

appreciate what you have and make the most of every opportunity.

Again, a quick Google search and making the most of it is about getting the best out of something, thriving, flourishing, and prospering.  Much more positive synonyms – more inspiring and exciting – and positivity breeds positivity.

Let’s not complain about what we don’t have, but instead get creative with what we do have. It can be exciting and empowering for people to be able to design their own ways of working. It leads to creativity and innovation – often finding improved ways of working through a positive approach.

There is satisfaction in problem-solving, in making more of the tools and system you use. Removing duplication and streamlining processes makes people feel good – therefore benefiting both the company and the individual.

Ensuring the right people are in the right roles is a key factor here.  When individuals have the perfect skillset and characteristics aligned with their role, tasks are completed more efficiently, leading to increased productivity.

Strategically placing individuals in roles that align with their strengths and skills enables you and your business to respond more effectively to challenges and “do more with less” by making the most of what you have. 

On the same page

Furthermore, framing the overall approach with a shared commitment to a common goal gives a sense of purpose and collaboration. Everyone understands the endgame and the part they play. This fuels collaboration and communication and streamlines decision-making.

The alignment of individual talents toward a common goal also has a positive impact on employee morale - creating a sense of camaraderie and shared success as they navigate challenges together. It all contributes to a workplace where people collectively perform at their best.

Capacity drains

Tight budgets are not a new phenomenon. Increasing outputs and “doing more with less” is in the spotlight due to economic challenges but shifting the overall mindset to “making the most of what you have” is always sound business sense. Looking at business operations through this lens can change the perspective.

For example, lack of capacity is a common problem – so look at what is draining that capacity.  What about meetings?  They’re costly, because – let’s face it – time is money!  Ask yourself “Will you get value from the meeting?  Could it be shorter?”.  Have a clear agenda, and keep it focused.

Remove blockers – perceived or otherwise – and enable the team to make progress. Unnecessary red tape can slow things down as people become ‘stuck’. Process should facilitate not hinder.

There is a lot of value in internal process reviews - getting new eyes on them and considering different ways of working.  With the solid backdrop of working collaboratively towards a common goal, people are empowered to suggest new ways of working, in both their areas and others.

Quality from the start

Overall, my recommendation would be to make the most of what you have to achieve a quality outcome. Involve the best people for the job, agree on a shared goal and focus on quality right from the start.

Typically, budgets are cut towards the end of a process. Therefore, it makes sense to focus on quality from the outset – don’t leave it to the end and try to polish something that can’t be polished!

Front-loading activities, rather than back-loading them, is important for success in any project. By addressing potential issues at the outset, costly hurdles that might otherwise surface further down the line can be proactively mitigated, preventing disruptions and enabling smoother project progression and potential time and cost savings.  To best achieve this, the right people need to be involved from the start, with everyone pulling in the same direction with a focus on quality to achieve a common goal – don’t just get it done, but get it done well.

Change the narrative from “doing more with less” to making the most of what we have. Shifting to a more positive mindset, playing to people’s strengths and empowering them to thrive.

2024 can be a year where we make the most of it – time, ideas, life…. so here’s to a year like no other!