Establishing a management system that spans multiple locations is no easy feat. Still, the effort pays off: centralizing process documentation in a shared platform eliminates redundant systems and fosters smoother collaboration. But before diving in, ask yourself these 5 essential questions to ensure your cross-location management system is set up for success.
1. How do I represent my entire company in the system?
The keyword here: process map. Start by revisiting your business model and structure your process map into core processes, supporting processes, and management processes. The challenge? Different sites often require different maps — a production site, for instance, operates differently from headquarters.
The solution: Create a tailored process map for each location. At the top level, include the company's general workflows and HQ-level standards to maintain consistency.
2. Which processes apply globally, and which are site-specific?
Clarify which structures and processes are universal and which are local to each site. Your goal is to make company-wide process knowledge accessible to everyone. This approach accelerates the rollout of best practices and avoids duplicating work across multiple systems.
3. How do global processes reach every site?
Before rolling anything out, answer a few organizational questions:
Once roles are defined, an interactive management system can help you distribute standard processes and collect local feedback directly from employees — streamlining updates and improving system relevance across locations.
4. Do I need rights management for local processes?
Consider hybrid processes that follow group-wide rules but require local adaptations — HR workflows often fall into this category. Define who can access which information and protect sensitive content through well-designed rights management.
5. What does the approval workflow look like?
Communication is both the greatest enabler and the biggest risk in a cross-site system. Who needs to be informed of updates? Who signs off on new processes? Define a clear, tailored approval workflow to ensure changes are transparent, timely, and well-coordinated.
Ready to get started?
If you've answered these five questions, you're well on your way to building a high-performing, cross-location management system. You'll streamline operations, foster global alignment, and roll out best practices more effectively across your organization.
Want to see how this works in practice? Check out how Glas Trösch Holding AG successfully established a management system across 43 sites.
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