For these business owners, their company had become all-consuming. All they wanted was the opportunity to take a holiday without fear that the company would be negatively impacted by their absence. Could we help them achieve a better work/life balance?
INDUSTRY: Engineering
BUSINESS LOCATION: Bedfordshire
THE BRIEF:
Woodbridge & Co were contacted by a family-run business. A review of their accounts showed that the business was successful and highly profitable, but the husband and wife team had no time off. They wanted advice on how to improve the work/life balance, without it having a detrimental effect on the company’s performance or reputation. Their specific goal was to enjoy a relaxing holiday.
THE CHALLENGE:
On closer inspection, the challenge was that their input was required at every step of the process. They had built the business around their skills and strengths and it had now become all-consuming. They were fearful that any time out would result in orders not being processed properly.
THE SOLUTION:
We worked with the business owners to introduce and set up systems that would automate some of the customer service, accounting and order processing requirements.
We also explored the option of delegation to other members of the team. This is never an easy step and required input into training and the building of trust. It took time, but the managers were increasingly reassured that others did have the skills to step in and assist. The other team members, responded well to these development opportunities.
We facilitated the creation of a detailed task list, which could be followed and monitored via the cloud. This provided reassurance that everyone was clear about what needed to be done. If any detail was missed, it was quickly identified and actioned.
THE OUTCOME:
The couple enjoyed a long-overdue holiday. They could keep tabs on the business from a distance, which provided reassurance that all was in order. In addition, the other team members were positive about gaining new skills.
Extracting themselves from full responsibility for the daily operations will allow the owners to see the business from a fresh perspective. Over time, this will support further development and eventually retirement planning.