Regulatory agencies face increasing demand, along with staffing constraints. Yet many still measure success through budgets, staffing levels and assigned workload. Those metrics explain available resources but fail to show how effectively work moves through a licensing and permitting agency.
As Sam Hardin, chief revenue officer at GL Solutions, explains, “The goal is not to manage backlogs better. The goal is to build systems that prevent backlogs from developing.”
Throughput offers a more meaningful measure, focusing on outcomes: how much work an agency completes efficiently, accurately and on time.
Regulatory agencies must process more work while managing staffing constraints and modernization demands. Agency leaders face pressure to:
Many agencies still measure how much work employees receive or how busy teams remain. Those measures hide licensing delays, rework and bottlenecks. Throughput reveals whether the organization converts effort into completed work.
Workload measures provide useful context, but not the whole story.
Counting license applications, complaints or renewals shows leaders how much work enters the agency. It does not show how much work the agency completes or how quickly teams process it.
A regulatory agency can distribute every case and still accumulate delays. Tracking assignments shows activity, but it does not reveal whether teams advance work toward timely, accurate decisions.
Employees may stay fully occupied while completing unnecessary reviews, entering duplicate data, routing work manually and navigating disconnected systems. Keeping staff busy does not necessarily increase throughput.
A single backlog number cannot explain how long cases remain open, the workflows that cause delays or whether teams complete quality work. Leaders need measures that show volume, time and accuracy.
Throughput works best as part of a balanced key performance indicator framework. Regulatory agency leaders must evaluate output and operational health through connected measures.
Throughput measures how much work an agency completes during a defined period.
Depending on the agency, completed work includes:
Tracking completed work helps regulatory agency leaders determine whether operational capacity keeps pace with incoming demand.
Processing time shows how long work takes to move from submission to decision. This helps leaders identify slow steps and other barriers.
The error rate measures how often work moves forward without correction, resubmission or rework. Greater accuracy leads to faster completion and protects regulatory integrity.
Backlog aging shows how long unfinished work remains open; the measure helps leaders understand increases in workload versus operational bottlenecks.
Key finding: NASCIO and McKinsey surveyed 49 state chief information officers to understand states’ current use of generative artificial intelligence, implementation plans and workforce implications. With guardrails in place and pilot programs underway or completed, the report says states can move into the scaling phase to realize the regulatory software’s benefits.
Why it matters: While NASCIO’s research focuses on technology and workforce, regulatory agencies can evaluate the impact of those investments through measures like throughput and processing time. Those measures help leaders assess operational outcomes.
Source: California Department of Consumer Affairs Licensing Performance Measures
Key finding: The California Department of Consumer Affairs publishes quarterly licensing performance data that shows the average time required to process complete license applications, incomplete applications and renewal applications across licensing entities. The department makes these measures publicly available to help applicants and the public better understand licensing timelines.
Why it matters: California’s approach demonstrates how regulatory agencies move beyond counting applications and measure operational performance. Tracking processing times gives leaders visibility into how efficiently work moves through the system. Processing-time metrics help leaders measure improvement efforts and evaluate performance.
Source: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Performance Dashboard Tool
Key finding: ASTHO worked with state and territorial health departments to develop 30 performance indicators for agency leaders to use to establish baselines and support continuous improvement. The dashboard helps licensing agencies assess internal performance.
Why it matters: High-performing state agencies increasingly rely on data-driven management rather than anecdotal assessments of workload. Establishing operational baselines helps leaders determine whether process changes improve efficiency and reduce delays. For regulatory agencies, throughput serves as a cornerstone metric within a broader performance framework.
Agency challenge: The Arizona Barbering and Cosmetology Board faced operational inefficiencies caused by manual and outdated licensing processes. The agency spent approximately $50,000 annually on printing and mailing licenses while staff managed communications and licensing activities with labor-intensive workflows.
Solution: The board implemented GL Suite to automate the licensing process. Licensees now download licenses and certifications digitally, eliminating the need to use traditional mailing services. GL Suite also features automated notifications throughout the application lifecycle, streamlining communication with applicants and licensees. To address concerns about fraudulent digital credentials, the solution added QR-code-based license verification that links directly to the agency’s public licensee search system.
Read the full story: Arizona Barbering and Cosmetology Board Use Case
What Does Throughput Mean for a Regulatory Agency?
Throughput measures the amount of regulatory work an agency completes during a defined period. Examples include processed applications, issued licenses, completed inspections, resolved complaints or closed investigations.
Why Is Throughput More Useful Than Workload?
Workload measures incoming or assigned work. Throughput measures completed work. Comparing the two helps leaders determine whether the agency’s operational capacity keeps pace with demand.
Can Agencies Increase Throughput Without Adding Staff?
Yes. Agencies increase throughput by eliminating bottlenecks, automating steps and standardizing processes. The goal is to help work move through the organization more efficiently rather than relying solely on additional staffing.
Regulatory agencies need performance measures that reflect mission results, not activity alone. Throughput gives leaders a clear view of operational health. The agencies that succeed measure what matters: work completed accurately and on time.
GL Suite helps regulatory agencies automate workflows, remove bottlenecks, standardize processing and improve operational visibility. By shifting from staff-driven work to system-driven performance, agencies complete more work and reduce backlogs, while maintaining regulatory integrity. Discover how GL Solutions’ Operational Speed Engine helps agencies increase throughput without adding staff.
