Labor costs and human resources are often the largest component of an organization’s budget. Effectiveness and efficiencies of staff allocations and business processes are often questioned by executives and business stakeholders, including those responsible for budget decisions. What is the appropriate level of resources to accomplish a process and/or service outcome, is often a question posed to or from business managers trying to allocate their sometimes scarce resources to the most critical tasks in order to accomplish the intended outcome. In a constantly changing business, political and social environment, workload fluctuates, expectations morph and program or outcome emphasis must also change.
Sterling Associates, LLP, has developed a workload study methodology and staffing allocation model based upon proven industrial engineering techniques, utilized in a new way—to measure service industry workload and drivers. These studies have been undertaken to develop tools for managers to more accurately predict staffing needs based upon workload changes, to allocate staff more equitably based upon workload, and to conduct “what if” analyses for impacts on staffing levels based upon workload changes or business process changes.
In addition to staffing studies, Sterling Associates has experience in efficiently defining and documenting business processes, identifying changes that can contribute to efficiencies, greater effectiveness, and/or cost savings, and redesigning the processes to take advantage of streamlining or enhancements for maximum success.
In all of our engagements, Sterling Associates considers the environment the organization resides in, and the constraints and barriers that may influence its ability to change. We provide recommendations and tools that are practical and useable. We do not measure our success by the amount of change we recommend, but we do measure our success with our clients’ success. Sometimes our contribution is in explaining more succinctly, and organizing evidence of the value our clients are producing—without any changes!
