General and Operations Manager how-to
How to Explain a Budget Variance
Variances tell you what changed.
Quick answer
Variances tell you what changed. In short: compare; find; separate, then complete the remaining steps below.
Step by step
Compare actual to budget.
Find the biggest gaps.
Separate price from volume.
Find the cause.
Plan a correction.
Report clearly.
Safety reminders for general and operations managers
- Enforce workplace safety rules
- Investigate incidents
- Maintain safe staffing
- Ensure OSHA compliance
Key terms
KPI · Operating budget · Throughput · Lean · Six Sigma · SOP: see the full general and operations manager glossary.