Tomorrow belongs to people who prepare for it today. Long-term
capacity-building efforts boost economic growth and promote regional
cooperation. Standard operating procedure (SOP) is part of such capacity
building endeavors.
اضافة اعلان
The term was first recorded in the mid-20th century;
it is the documented process required to ensure delivery of all services and
products consistently for all stakeholders. SOPs are often used to demonstrate
compliance with the regulation or operational practices, and document the
completion of tasks in an organization. They can be applied in all economic
activities — law, finance, philosophy, management architecture, and public
policy — to maximize efficiency and safety, promote best practices, and ensure
high-quality experiences.
If you think
safety is expensive, try an accident. Whenever there is a catastrophe, we say
lessons will be learned; the medical tragedy in the new Salt public hospital
and the Aqaba toxic gas leak are examples. They should be a wake-up call that
makes everybody understand that managing facilities is critical.
Jordan’s economy is projected to grow by 2.5 percent
in 2022, and services are expected to boost the economy over the medium term. However,
all hinges on global economic conditions and the timely implementation of
critical reforms to address structural challenges.
The Jordanian government should focus on a
risk-management framework that embeds risk management in the operations
process, and asset-management procedures, through developing risk-management
structures, tools, standards, and policies.
The complexities of business operations, managing
various channels, and integrations of processes, all interwoven, require robust
SOPs. In today’s business environment, SOPs must enhance performance and make
economic sense to get the necessary buy-in from the relevant stakeholders.
Employees need training and tools to implement SOPs. Management should monitor compliance, enforce accountability, and measure the results. Periodically, or when necessary, reviews are required to notice changes to current procedures or improve them.
According to the American Management Association, 30
to 50 percent of employees avoid taking responsibility at the workplace. The
International Labor Organization reports that yearly, 2.3 million workers
worldwide are involved in work-related health and safety incidents.
Incorporating safety procedures into existing workflows can help avoid
injuries. SOPs enable organizations to run like well-oiled machines while
keeping workers safe.
Employees need training and tools to implement SOPs.
Management should monitor compliance, enforce accountability, and measure the
results. Periodically, or when necessary, reviews are required to notice
changes to current procedures or improve them. The real game-changer for SOPs
is discovering processes that can be fully automated through a digital
platform. The platform can offer a streamlined solution to manage workflows,
communication, and accountability; team members can communicate on SOP progress
in real-time via mobile devices, and no more paperwork will have to be filed
away and forgotten.
The fulfillment of and follow-up on SOPs is a
multi-step process that involves understanding the standards, the different
application levels, and the framework integrating the legal procedures. It will
help strengthen and simplify a range of existing legislation and introduce new
SOPs reforms in support of businesses, making it easier for them to trade, grow
and create jobs. SOPs would allow Jordanian industries to be in a stronger
position to recapture their businesses and become a logistics hub for the
Levant.
In particular, SOPs should be used as a reference
for establishing an information monitoring and early warning system, which must
effectively help reduce the misuse and waste of national resources and maximize
resource use efficiency.
Reengineering and e-government are mutually
reinforcing, allowing the government to use modern information technology to
improve the efficiency of its affairs. The policy management methods will apply
to various plans to achieve added value, sustainable management and economic
development.
Hamzeh S. Al-Alayani is a board member of a Jordanian public-sector government investments
management company and a regular commentator on regional energy and industrial
matters.
Read more Opinion and Analysis
Jordan News
.jpg)
.jpg)
