Question

Briefly describe the characteristics of cross-functional business processes. Also, briefly describe at least three business benefits of cross-functional business processes.  

Answer 1

Cross functional business processes are different functional areas of an organisation working to complete the same piece of work, goal or aim. ... This is a clear example of how a firm uses cross- functional business processes to improve efficiency and work in synchronization to get the order out.

. Gain a better insight

To bring a gulp of creative ideas, cross-functional collaboration is a great choice. Creativity is a group process. When the project managers, put together people who are experts in different subjects, each with unique skills sets, it will bring out some new perspectives. This method of collaboration will bring new insights to the team to bring up creative solutions and enhance development. With each team member bringing their skills and knowledge to the table, the work will progress and thrive bringing solutions quicker.

2. Engaged employees

In the past few years, employee engagement seems to be declining. According to a 2013 Gallup Poll, 63% of employees are “not engaged” by their current work. This makes a big difference to the overall productivity of the organization. Therefore, shifting to team-oriented structures can boost team bonding, improving workplace dynamics. With a strong leader handling a cross-functional team will help in combating silo mentality and bridge the gap between team members.

3. Spurring innovative ideas

It is said that cross-functional team is a calculated investment for teams to sip in productivity and work together. This is because a collaborative team brings new insights with which comes innovation. It is a great way to boost creative minds to pool ideas together that separates businesses from their competitors. When different minds playing different roles are brought together, they think outside of the box to substantially bring better results. When people think in new ways, it helps them make smart mistakes, take better risks and spur innovation and creativity.