Finding ways to do more with less

By Paul Davidson, USA Today

The post recession American workplace is a leaner and more productive workforce. Today companies across the US are finding ways to do more with less and are operating as a team that shares jobs/responsibilities and enjoying higher job satisfaction.

For example, a bank branch of Anderen Bank in Orlando has a frontline team of four employees today vs ten. This team of four are not chained to their stations but are cross trained to fill in and help out as needed as tellers, customer service reps, new account salespeople. Bank deposits at Anderen have gone from $35 to $100M.

Increased workforce productivity across the country (up 3.5% in 2009) is the new normal.

It is predicted 2.4 M jobs will be added in 2011 but won’t recover the 8.3M lost. That is due to efficiencies that businesses achieved in the downturn. Many combined two to three jobs into one and have become more efficient through implementing new technology and software into their process.

Human resources CEO Harry Griendling of DoubleStar said, “The downturn forced companies to re-examine everything they were doing and come up with a new model.”

“I think there is a generation of leaders who went through a crisis and are going to manage and lead this way for the next 10 years,” said Walt Shill, managing director of Accenture.

eBridge’s fully managed reverse auction procurement team has become an innovative part of company’s new business model. Their efficient online procurement process (with no upfront costs) delivers net savings of 10% to 25% on purchases over $100k and assures their clients achieve an ‘at market’ transaction every time.