Business Plan

[Nugget]

Morning all ,

Seeing as I started the new job today, and am now really important and actually have staff who officially report to me, I thought it might be a good idea to have an assistant (particularly bearing in mind that I'm on holiday next week...).

Having mentioned this to the boss and HR bod, they've told me I need to give them a business plan outlining why I believe that I need an assistant - having never done a business plan before, does anyone have any idea how I would word it / justify the request?

Any help would be gratefully received, and may result in a pint (if I ever actually meet any of you )

[Raistlin]

I think what your HR people actually want is a Business 'Case', which should (ideally) contain the following:

Background: Current situation, proposed change.

Reasons: Reasons that the current situation needs to change.

Options: Present a number of options for accomplishing the change, include the 'do nothing' option. In other words show that you've considered more than one possibility, in your case this could be 1) do nothing, 2) hire a permanent assistant, 3) hire a temporary assistant, 4) change current job role to mitigate problems, 5) use an existing member of staff as your 'assistant'. Always include the 'do nothing' to explain more fully the implications of maintaining the status quo. Also, always identify your 'recommended' option.

Expected Benefits: Highlight the expected benefits from the proposed change. These should be expressed in measurable terms against the current situation (perhaps refer to expected maintenance of customer service levels, increased efficiencies, whatever, but be prepared to have to be able to measure and show these later if you get the go ahead).

Risks: Does going down the proposed route of change pose any risks? Don't just consider negative risks, remember that in risk management terms an 'opportunity' is also a 'risk' - could doing what you're doing create 'opportunities' within the business, or perhaps positive risks that could be exploited?

Cost: What will your proposed changes cost (break down generally for each proposed option, show comparisons)? Include not just the cost of the person, but of the support they need (training, materials, lighting, heating, etc).

Time Scale: When? How long will it take?

Investment Appraisal: Costs v Benefits, which option makes the most financial/business sense (ideally you want this to be the one you're recommending )?

Evaluation: Brief summary of everything above with a closing statement as to your recommendation.

Now Then.....

All of the above looks massively daunting, long winded, and ridiculous, considering you're just talking about hiring an assistant. However, the work now will pay dividends in the future if you get it right. You don't have to go to town on any of the above points, and most of them are optional (the only ones that aren't are Background, Reasons, Recommended Option, Benefits, Cost Comparison), but you need to provide enough details so that the HR people can justify the cost of what you're proposing. Good luck

---------- Post added at 10:02 ---------- Previous post was at 10:00 ----------

Forgot to say: If this is an IT company, specifically one that specialises in Security/Security Consultancy, and you're after any (highly paid) staff, please let me know

---------- Post added at 10:02 ---------- Previous post was at 10:02 ----------

Hint

[Nugget]

Originally Posted by Rob M

I think what your HR people actually want is a Business 'Case', which should (ideally) contain the following:

Background: Current situation, proposed change.

Reasons: Reasons that the current situation needs to change.

Options: Present a number of options for accomplishing the change, include the 'do nothing' option. In other words show that you've considered more than one possibility, in your case this could be 1) do nothing, 2) hire a permanent assistant, 3) hire a temporary assistant, 4) change current job role to mitigate problems, 5) use an existing member of staff as your 'assistant'. Always include the 'do nothing' to explain more fully the implications of maintaining the status quo. Also, always identify your 'recommended' option.

Expected Benefits: Highlight the expected benefits from the proposed change. These should be expressed in measurable terms against the current situation (perhaps refer to expected maintenance of customer service levels, increased efficiencies, whatever, but be prepared to have to be able to measure and show these later if you get the go ahead).

Risks: Does going down the proposed route of change pose any risks? Don't just consider negative risks, remember that in risk management terms an 'opportunity' is also a 'risk' - could doing what you're doing create 'opportunities' within the business, or perhaps positive risks that could be exploited?

Cost: What will your proposed changes cost (break down generally for each proposed option, show comparisons)? Include not just the cost of the person, but of the support they need (training, materials, lighting, heating, etc).

Time Scale: When? How long will it take?

Investment Appraisal: Costs v Benefits, which option makes the most financial/business sense (ideally you want this to be the one you're recommending )?

Evaluation: Brief summary of everything above with a closing statement as to your recommendation.

Now Then.....

All of the above looks massively daunting, long winded, and ridiculous, considering you're just talking about hiring an assistant. However, the work now will pay dividends in the future if you get it right. You don't have to go to town on any of the above points, and most of them are optional (the only ones that aren't are Background, Reasons, Recommended Option, Benefits, Cost Comparison), but you need to provide enough details so that the HR people can justify the cost of what you're proposing. Good luck

---------- Post added at 10:02 ---------- Previous post was at 10:00 ----------

Forgot to say: If this is an IT company, specifically one that specialises in Security/Security Consultancy, and you're after any (highly paid) staff, please let me know

---------- Post added at 10:02 ---------- Previous post was at 10:02 ----------

Hint

Thanks for this buddy - most helpful

Oh, and I'm afraid it's a fish factory - not a lot of help for you

[Raistlin]

Originally Posted by Nugget

Thanks for this buddy - most helpful

Oh, and I'm afraid it's a fish factory - not a lot of help for you

No worries, if you need anything else just shout - quite happy to take a look through (confidentiality requirements permitting of course) your submission if you like before you put it in.

As for fish...... well, surely they need security too?

---------- Post added at 10:34 ---------- Previous post was at 10:33 ----------

Forgot to say that generally the amount of detail/justification required for these sorts of things should be linked to the expected costs. It (obviously) should take a lot more time/effort/information to justify buying a multi-billion pound warship that it should to justify buying a new chair/desk

[Nugget]

Originally Posted by Rob M

No worries, if you need anything else just shout - quite happy to take a look through (confidentiality requirements permitting of course) your submission if you like before you put it in.

As for fish...... well, surely they need security too?

---------- Post added at 10:34 ---------- Previous post was at 10:33 ----------

Forgot to say that generally the amount of detail/justification required for these sorts of things should be linked to the expected costs. It (obviously) should take a lot more time/effort/information to justify buying a multi-billion pound warship that it should to justify buying a new chair/desk

Oh, there'll be no confidentiality worries - for a big company, they're remarkably thick when it comes to things like this

[Damien]

Originally Posted by Rob M

Forgot to say that generally the amount of detail/justification required for these sorts of things should be linked to the expected costs. It (obviously) should take a lot more time/effort/information to justify buying a multi-billion pound warship that it should to justify buying a new chair/desk

Can Nugget order a multi-billion pound warship then We better be nice to him

[Maggy J]

Congrats on the new job Nuggy..

[Nugget]

Originally Posted by Damien

Can Nugget order a multi-billion pound warship then We better be nice to him

Only if the business plan works

---------- Post added at 13:56 ---------- Previous post was at 13:55 ----------

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Congrats on the new job Nuggy..

Thanks Coggy - still with the same company, but the 're-structure' means I've now got 20(ish) staff reporting directly to me, as opposed to through me (and a fairly decent payrise )

[Julian]

Originally Posted by Nugget

Only if the business plan works

---------- Post added at 13:56 ---------- Previous post was at 13:55 ----------



Thanks Coggy - still with the same company, but the 're-structure' means I've now got 20(ish) staff reporting directly to me, as opposed to through me (and a fairly decent payrise )

When these staff come to see you do they have to stand to attenchun?

[Hugh]

Originally Posted by Nugget

Only if the business plan works

---------- Post added at 13:56 ---------- Previous post was at 13:55 ----------



Thanks Coggy - still with the same company, but the 're-structure' means I've now got 20(ish) staff reporting directly to me, as opposed to through me (and a fairly decent payrise )

Remember - you can probably do a better job than any one of them, but not all of them. You are there to help them get the job done, not to do it for them.

Will your company provide any management training? The worst thing (imho) that any company can do is just throw people in the deep end, to sink or swim, because the problem is that not only the manager suffers, but so do the team (and the company).

[Nugget]

Originally Posted by foreverwar

Remember - you can probably do a better job than any one of them, but not all of them. You are there to help them get the job done, not to do it for them.

Will your company provide any management training? The worst thing (imho) that any company can do is just throw people in the deep end, to sink or swim, because the problem is that not only the manager suffers, but so do the team (and the company).

Well, they've told me that I'll be doing sone management training, but I'm not holding my breath

If I can manage to get this business plan put together, it should make my life a little easier