WHAT SYSTEMS DO YOU NEED IN YOUR CHILDCARE?

The Reason Why Systems Lead To Success

Are you a childcare business owner and feel as if you don’t have the time to explain everything thoroughly? Have you gotten to the point where you’re tired of repeating yourself time and time again? In today’s blog post, I’m going to talk to you about explaining the reasons behind your systems and why explaining them leads to success.

Explaining Must Become A Habit

To get everyone on the same page with a clear, well-organized SOP, you will need to acquire the habit of explaining the reason behind the standard procedure. Let me give you an example of a bad standard procedure. For instance, “Accounting doesn’t want the Admin team contacting legacy clients even for address confirmations. If you need to do so, submit a request to accounting via email.” For you and me, it may sound like nothing is wrong with that.

Now, let’s take a look at the way it could be written in a good format. It could say something such as, “As of September 2020, Accounting doesn’t want the Admin team contacting legacy clients because of the confusion it causes as to whom their best information source is. If you need to do so, submit a request to Accounting via email.” Did you notice what the second example does? It reaffirms the reason behind the procedure.

Every time we learn a new procedure, we instinctively consider shortcuts. I know I have in my childcare business. I felt as if the people who I was making the rule or regulation for inflicted so much passion, and emotions in me that I was quick in writing my SOPs or quick temper in my response. I learned along my journey that the more explanation I provide, the more of a company culture I create.

By listening to the second explanation, it’s clear that it’s explained to the team member why we don’t do certain things. When people don’t understand why we don’t do certain things, then they tend not to go through the extra step to ensure that the process and procedure are adhered to. Not for you. When you begin to write your SOPs, always provide logic. Logic helps a person understand why.

Set It and Forget It

I know that sometimes we don’t have time to do all of the logical parts of childcare because of everything else that goes on. This is why I highly encourage you to take the time to set it and forget it. Take time to set up your standard operating procedures the proper way the first time, so that in the future, you will be able to have a written, logical process as to why you want things done.

Now, if you’re new in the childcare industry, having a logical process may not be as thorough and complete as it could be if you had already been in childcare before. Nevertheless, every time we learn a new procedure, always remember to help people understand the logic behind the seemingly illogical procedure, so that they aren’t tempted to work around it and cause a problem.

Why wouldn’t an Admin be able to simply ask for an address? Here’s why. It is explained. The reason the company wrote the procedure, including the logic, was to avoid assumptions when creating your standard operating procedures. That is the key, avoiding assumptions.

To get more help and more assistance in creating your SOPs to avoid assumptions, be sure to join us in our eight-week program, JumpStart Academy, by clicking here.