The business world is changing fast, and the need for qualified project managers is ballooning by the day. It is estimated that the global economy will require 25 million project management experts by 2030 and an additional 2.3 million new entrants to help meet the growing demand for various project management roles.
Many businesses struggle to manage project silos. Finding the most efficient approach can help boost your project performance. That is where a PMO or project management office comes in.
A PMO is a team or department dedicated to managing workflow and units for optimal productivity and efficiency. Now that you know the meaning of PMO, you should note its ability to help teams run better and make sure tasks are completed on time.
Even though PMOs often look different for every company, there are some ways a PMO can benefit any business.
- Assign Tasks and Define Roles
PMOs mainly work to support project managers by providing guidance and structure to business processes. Successful project management often starts by defining roles and assigning tasks, a core PMO responsibility that ensures all project tasks are designated to someone responsible.
Even if multiple people are involved in completing a task, it is essential to have one person responsible for completing it correctly. A PMO can help gauge your team’s strengths, enabling your projects to tap into the deep well of project management skills and knowledge needed to succeed.
A PMO also ensures all roles are understood by outlining job descriptions and helping employees understand responsibilities.
- Automate Processes
A PMO team will often use online or cloud-based platforms that provide free project management. Such tools help to automate processes and establish standards for how projects are to be completed.
Automated processes help boost productivity, ensure no tasks fall through the gaps, and establish procedures that remain standard and familiar for employees. This way, your business stands to benefit from a highly adaptable but standardized process that is both seamless and error-free.
- Boost Communication and Connectivity
An effective PMO will have strong lines of communication with all departments and levels of a company. Their primary responsibility is to centralize information and ensure that every team member is up to speed with the project. By creating such collaborative frameworks, PMOs also foster timely and informed management decisions.
A PMO team knows every aspect of your business and the role and interests of all employees to create connections that innovate and produce desirable outcomes.
- Mentor Your Team
PMO members will often act as mentors for team managers and other leadership staff. A PMO will know what makes your business and team tick.
They should have effective ways of inspiring and motivating employees. Many provide tactical support and training to help boost team morale as well. This kind of mentorship further fosters employee growth and ensures all potential is being tapped and utilized in your workforce.
- Establish Expectations
While assigning roles and responsibilities and setting processes in place, a PMO will also establish expectations for those elements. Having solid expectations for how employees act and deliver outcomes is key to a well-functioning business.
A PMO will ensure the team understands set goals and expectations for the company and all departments within. They often work with the bigger picture to help projects remain on track, especially if there are numerous directions to take.
- Grow and Evolve Strategies
Because a PMO knows the ins and outs of your business, they are also poised to create strategies to usher your business into future directions. PMOs monitor the competition and market to implement changes that will help them grow and evolve.
Their in-depth knowledge of how all the moving parts in your business work makes it necessary for informed decision-makers to have on hand.
Putting It All Together
PMOs are a crucial entity that assumes the responsibility of running project management actions. Their central role is to ensure that all your project processes and management practices are standardized and consistent with organizational capacity and targets. They often help establish the right balance between stakeholder relationship management and technical support, boosting project performance. They are a necessary inclusion for successful project management. If you want to introduce a PMO to your business, the above six points explain how you stand to benefit from it.
