How to Build Recession-Proof Processes

A deserted Times Square during the coronavirus lockdown in New York City (Photo by Paulo Silva)

History tells us that while recessions are painful, they are a normal part of the business cycle. Since World War II, the United States has survived 13 economic recessions. The question is not whether it will happen again: it is whether your organization is prepared for when recession happens.

Here are three ways you can build recession-proof processes to ensure your company not only survives but thrives during hard economic times:

Create an engine for process improvement.

Most organizations only do process improvement in preparation for a looming recession. They review existing processes to identify areas that can be improved for efficiency and effectiveness and pinpoint opportunities to optimize. However, if you want to build recession-proof processes, you have to make process improvement a part of your culture.

Changing when there is nothing wrong keeps you not only ahead of the competition, but also for when a storm comes. This way, you are not going in just to fix one or two things when preparing for an expected downturn. Your organization has to continuously come up with ways to improve your processes even without an impending recession. Changing when things are stable is more effective because people are more stressed when faced with change in chaotic situations.