When you first launch a business, the thought of having different departments can seem far away. You might have one person to handle different areas of the business, from finance to marketing. Many small businesses use outsourcing for a lot of these things in the beginning. But as you grow your business, building fully capable departments so you can do things in-house makes a lot more sense. It can be a new and exciting thing to do, and you want to make sure you get it right. There are some key factors to think about when you’re planning a new department for your business.
Is a New Department Necessary?
Before you start forging ahead with a plan for a new department, you need to make sure it’s necessary. It can be expensive to bring in new people, expand your office and add new resources to your company. So you don’t want to make any big moves without checking that it’s the best thing to do. Think carefully about your reasons for adding a new department to your business. Maybe you’re separating a particular area from an existing department. Perhaps you’re creating a brand new department to handle a major area of the business with a dedicated team for the first time. How will it benefit your company?
Recruit the Right People
A new department can sometimes just mean moving some of your existing employees about. However, it can also mean needing to hire new people, or perhaps offer some promotions. New positions might include management roles, and choosing the right people to fill them is extremely important. Try not to rush the formation of your new department so that you have plenty of time to find the best talent for it. You want the department to improve your business, so the people working within it need to know what they’re doing.
Give Everyone the Tools They Need
Once you’ve chosen the right people to keep your new department running, you need to make sure they have what they need to do their jobs. This might mean looking at new equipment or tools that will help them be as productive as possible. You could consider looking into custom software development for some departments. For example, if you’re starting a new complaints department for your customer service team, you might want a system for managing complaints more effectively. One of the best ways to work out what you need is to ask both employees and customers.
Get Your New Department Organized
Now your new department is coming together, you need to get everything organized. Making sure everyone knows the department’s purpose and its key aims is essential. You department manager needs to put together a tactical plan to decide how the department is going to reach its goals. You need to keep the company’s wider goals in context too and take a look at the strengths and capabilities within the department.
It can take a while to set up a new department for your business. Take your time to get it all right.
