Systems frustration: workarounds, duplications and inefficiencies
Consulting Business information Framework: Optimise
Designing systems and processes that empower people, not hinder them.
The Challenge
When employees have to work through a confusing maze of avenues just to complete straightforward tasks, it is a clear indicator that internal systems and/or business processes may no longer be fit for purpose. The systems and processes which promised productivity and efficiency, may now be actively hindering progress. Over time, these issues will accumulate, creating fragmented experience that slows processes down and frustrates users at every turn.
While new starters may be the most visibly affected, taking longer to onboard, feeling lost, or relying heavily on colleagues for guidance, the frustration quickly spreads across the wider team. When core systems and processes fail to support smooth workflows, teams spend more time fighting the tools, rather than using them to gain a competitive advantage. The result is diminished productivity, more frustration and a growing sense of friction within the organisation.
Moreover, as businesses grow and evolve, the cracks in systems become more pronounced. What once worked for a smaller team may no longer scale effectively. Layered workarounds, manual processes, and siloed platforms become barriers to collaboration and consistency, reducing an organisations’s ability to capitalise on opportunities, respond quickly to change or to onboard talent efficiently.
The Solution
The first step in solving these problems is gaining clear visibility into how work is actually being done. Mapping current workflows, across departments and roles, reveals the pain points and inefficiencies that often go unnoticed in day-to-day operations. It is essential to listen to employees, particularly those closest to the work, to understand where systems are slowing them down or forcing them into unnecessary manual effort.
Once this insight is gathered, organisations can begin to simplify and optimise. This may involve consolidating multiple tools into a single platform, improving integration between systems, or redesigning processes to add more data validation and remove unnecessary steps. Notably, any changes made should be driven by both the needs of the user and the system outcomes required. The objective is to make the IT systems and the people work together harmoniously to deliver the required business outcomes, rather than work against each other and create friction.