The Most Common Process Bottlenecks (Plus How to Spot & Start Fixing Them)
If you feel like something is slowing down your business’s workflow but you can’t quite pinpoint the issue, you’re not alone. Bottlenecks are sneaky productivity killers (and can be oh-so-frustrating), but once you spot them, they’re totally fixable.
Here’s how to identify some of the most common process bottlenecks.
Approval Gridlock
When decisions require multiple sign-offs, momentum can grind to a halt. Similarly, if every decision filters through a single person on the team, the second their calendar gets booked up, boom! The rest of the team is stuck and can’t move forward.
You might notice questions like “Has Nancy approved this yet?” or long gaps between when work is done and when it moves to the next step. If you, yourself, are the holdup, your notifications will likely be full of the same thing: “Hey - just pinging you on this again to see what you think!”
How to start unclogging the traffic: Track how long each stage in the workflow takes. Approvals should ideally be measured in hours, not days. Tackle the worst offenders first, determining how to spread out approvals or, better yet, how to empower your team to move forward without needing specific approvals.
Resource Overload
When too many tasks depend on the same person, tool, or piece of equipment, work can pile up. Maybe only one team member knows how to use a specific platform, or everyone’s waiting to use a single printer, meeting room, or software license.
How to start lightening the load: Look for queues forming at one step in your process or for repeated waiting on “X” notes in project updates. Identify opportunities for cross-training, adding capacity, purchasing additional tools, or changing the way the process works altogether.
Unclear Handoffs
If steps in a process exist without a clear owner or next step, they can easily stall out. This often shows up as “dropped balls” or work being sent back for clarification. You might notice a lot of comments in your task management tool along the lines of “Does anyone know who handles the next step here?” or worse “I don’t know what to do next…”
How to start passing the baton smoothly: Track it whenever someone says “I don’t know what to do next or who does it.” Ask people “What happens after you’re done?” and note when you get different answers. Start updating documentation paying special attention to adding clarity surrounding the transition points.
Inconsistent Input
Starting with incomplete or incorrect information can slow progress at every stage. If your team keeps circling back to the beginning to “fix” things or if they keep needing to ask basic questions just to get going because they don’t have the info yet, you’re losing valuable time.
How to start setting the stage for success: Notice repeated rework or long email chains clarifying original requests. Set standards for how your team assigns work to each other, including what information needs to be included to get started. For incoming requests from clients, consider a standard request form with leading questions so you always get what you need from them.
The Fix: Start with Visibility
Map out your entire process visually, from the very step to the final outcome. (Need a step-by-step guide on how to do that? Check out my Process Mapping Best Practices for Operational Clarity) Identify where tasks wait the longest, where they’re most often returned to be redone, and where there’s confusion over next steps.
And don’t forget - bottlenecks aren’t failures... they’re opportunities. Each one you uncover is a chance to save time, reduce stress, and get your operations flowing like they should.
If spotting and resolving bottlenecks feels overwhelming, I can help you map, streamline, and optimize your processes so you can focus on growing your business instead of untangling it. Get in touch!
