The rising complexity of projects is only putting more pressure on the project management office (PMO) within a business, but if hiring new employees feels out of reach, what is the solution?
Since only 36% of businesses manage to deliver projects on time, it’s clear that better processes are needed to stay on top of workloads and overcome any unexpected obstacles.
The trick is to find out exactly what the key contributors to a project delay or overworked PMO are, and from here, there are multiple steps that can be taken to relieve the pressure while maximizing project efficiency.
The Importance of a Strong PMO
Without a strong project management team in place, a business will struggle to keep on top of project demands, distribute workload, and meet tight deadlines.
Having a PMO overseeing this will help keep things on track and give the team a central contact point. They are responsible for keeping on top of project progress, managing resources, and prioritizing tasks if there is a change of plan. This minimizes the risk of small delays spiralling into large-scale holdups.
A PMO doesn’t have to consist of a big team in order to be effective. The aim is to maintain a well-rounded oversight of the different projects that are being carried out and steer teams in the right direction should they need to divert from the original plan.
Improving PMO Efficiency Without Hiring
Acknowledging the need for improvement within project management processes is the first step, but if the business does not have the resources to hire additional employees, it may seem like they are left with no choice, but this doesn’t have to be the case.
Instead of adding new employees to a PMO, the key is finding ways to better the processes that are already in place. There are various ways that efficiency can be improved without jumping straight to recruitment tactics.
Update project management tools
If a business has been using the same project management system for years, there is a good chance that it is no longer having the desired effect.
Whether the business has outgrown the software or the tool is not utilizing modern capabilities, regularly reviewing the tools used within the team can help identify areas for improvement.
Switching software to one that can manage multiple projects in one workspace, give members of the project team real-time updates, and track budgets will inevitably make everyday project management duties much easier to stay on top of.
Automate repetitive tasks
The ongoing duties of a PMO include a lot of admin tasks such as data entry, chasing employees for updates, compiling reports, and scheduling resources.
It has been revealed that 54% of project managers spend 5 or more hours per week on tedious tasks, with data inputting eating into the most time. By cutting out a lot of these ongoing tasks, it will free up the team to focus on the duties that require a human touch.
There are various AI-driven tools that can be implemented to fill the place of outdated processes that are still being used within the business. Not only does this take a big pressure off a PMO, but it also reduces the risk of human error.
Standardize processes
If different people within a PMO are carrying out the same tasks differently, it can easily result in confusion, miscommunications, and duplicated work.
Putting standardized processes in place helps create more efficient operations since everybody knows exactly what is expected of them and where they need to look to find certain pieces of information.
Having a PMO work in a more unified way keeps things simple while future-proofing the team. If employees are to leave the business, it means that their files are not lost and a replacement can quickly pick up where things were left off.
Introduce collaboration tools
Fixing flawed workflows beyond the PMO can also have a huge impact on project management. One of the biggest culprits here is collaboration among project teams. If people are communicating via WhatsApp messages or never-ending email chains, it’s going to be impossible for the PMO to stay on top of project updates.
Introducing a collaboration tool, such as Slack or Teams, makes it easier for employees across the business to reach their colleagues and keep a central record of their conversations.
Not only does it improve communication, but since project team discussions can also be set up, it makes it easier than ever for employees to find the files they need and see the latest updates.
Building a Stronger PMO
Creating a strong PMO doesn’t have to start with growing the team. Instead, reviewing the processes that are in place and understanding how they can be bettered can result in the same impact as bringing in additional support.
By freeing up time on tasks that can be automated or managed using modern project management tools, a PMO can spend its time on the duties that require specialist skills and decision-making capabilities.
Tackling the inefficiencies at their root helps a business maximize their productivity without having to eat into its budget to hire new employees, helping facilitate growth through minor changes.
