Improve Workflows by Managing Bottlenecks

Organizations’ activities are often slowed down by bottlenecks in their workflows. To address these situations, managers must look at both work system design and resource portfolio management. According to new research, companies perform better when their work systems’ complexity and decentralization are aligned (either both high or both low) and when they have fungible and slack resources. Aligning both task and resource characteristics further reduces delays and improves overall efficiency.