How to Build Approval Workflows That Don't Slow You Down

Every growing company faces the same challenge: how do you maintain control over important decisions without slowing everything down? The answer lies in building approval workflows that are fast, transparent, and actually help your team move forward.

The Problem with Traditional Approvals

Most approval processes are built around one principle: make sure nothing gets through without sign-off. While this sounds reasonable, it often leads to:

• Requests sitting in inboxes for days
• Unclear who needs to approve what
• No visibility into where things are stuck
• Approvers becoming bottlenecks

Principle 1: Make Approvals Automatic When Possible

Not everything needs manual review. If a hiring manager is requesting a role that's already budgeted and within their approved headcount, why make them wait? Build rules that auto-approve when criteria are met:

• Role is in the approved budget
• Salary is within the approved range
• Department has available headcount

Save manual approvals for exceptions, not the rule.

Principle 2: Route Intelligently

Different requests need different approvers. A $60K marketing coordinator and a $200K VP of Sales shouldn't go through the same approval chain. Smart routing means:

• Junior roles: Department head only
• Mid-level roles: Department head + Finance
• Senior roles: Department head + Finance + CEO

This keeps approvers focused on decisions that match their level.

Principle 3: Make Status Transparent

Nobody should have to ask "where is my request?" Build visibility into every step:

• Who needs to approve next
• How long it's been waiting
• What happens after approval

When everyone can see the status, you eliminate the "just checking in" emails.

Principle 4: Set Clear Expectations

Approvers need context to make fast decisions. Every request should include:

• Why this role is needed now
• Budget impact
• Where it fits in the org
• Timeline expectations

The less back-and-forth required, the faster approvals happen.

Principle 5: Build in Accountability

Approval workflows need gentle nudges. Implement:

• Automatic reminders after 48 hours
• Escalation paths for urgent requests
• Analytics on approval times by person

When approvers know their response time is visible, they tend to move faster.

The Result

When you apply these principles, approval workflows become an asset, not a burden. Your team gets:

• Fast decisions on standard requests
• Thoughtful review where it matters
• Complete visibility into status
• Data to continuously improve

The goal isn't to eliminate approvals - it's to make them work the way they should.