Implementing a quality management system compliant with ISO 9001:2015 typically requires a great deal of work from many people within an organization, but one aspect that many organizations overlook is the importance of real employee involvement in the implementation of the system.
Gaining genuine interest from the organization's employees in what they do can truly make the difference between a smooth, efficient, and value-adding quality system implementation and a system that only appears to function, but in reality, only brings frustration to its users because it was designed without any involvement of the people who work on the processes that comprise it.
The new habits, relationships, and operation of the entire system established with employees during the design and subsequent implementation of the quality system can lay an interesting foundation for future performance, so it is crucial that the way to involve personnel be established at the beginning of the project to introduce a quality system into an organization.
But...how to do it in practice? Let's see it together.
Employee engagement is part of the quality principles mentioned in ISO 9001:2015, while section 7 of the standard deals with resources and the role of people and the environment that these people create as a consequence. What the standard does not specify, however, is how to involve employees and, therefore, encourage a level of participation that ensures that the project itself and the resulting system performance can give the hoped-for return in terms of results. And that's also right, given that there is no single recipe that can be used in all companies, but every top manager should know what it takes to ensure the enthusiasm of the staff and what training to provide to each employee so that they develop the necessary know-how to be able to make an active contribution to the development of the quality system and to facilitate its implementation so that it guarantees regular output and quality performance on an ongoing basis.
For those who are not clear on how to involve staff in the project, a good way to start on the right foot is to inform them from the outset that you intend to introduce quality into the way the company works and ensure that people feel well informed from the beginning of the implementation process. You know what they say about first impressions? There's only one chance to make a good first impression, and therefore, whether your employees have a good impression of the quality project depends on how you communicate the need for it and list what benefits it can bring to everyone. Missing this opportunity will lead you to have to chase and fight the rumors of those who, in the absence of clear and comprehensive information, will try to understand on their own what the management wants to do and, almost certainly, will think of something negative, since it has been kept hidden. After all, how can you blame them?
Therefore, clearly explain the benefits that a quality system can bring to the working life of each person because human beings are, by nature, wary of change and often fear it. Explaining the benefits of an effective quality system and certification according to ISO 9001:2015 will help you get support for the project because who wouldn't want more satisfied customers, greater growth opportunities, a better reputation in the market, and a certificate that guarantees that the company they work for operates with quality? All these aspects should illustrate that ISO 9001:2015 and the results and performance of the system that accompanies it equate to better business prospects and, therefore, greater job security for employees.
Once you have explained what you intend to do, involve employees in every phase of project development, where possible. Involving people in all the processes that support the system, clearly illustrating why and how things should be done, and asking the opinion of those who have been doing a certain job for years will help people understand that each of them is responsible for the quality that is designed within the company and that must be guaranteed to each customer and, for this reason, they will feel more involved in the entire project. This, among other things, also represents a huge advantage for the company because, normally, no one knows the process better than the people who use it every day.
It will also be necessary to share goals and results with your employees. Make sure that the people who work with you see the results of the individual processes and evaluate them critically. Only in this way, in fact, will you guarantee the continuous improvement of the system, which means making all stakeholders happy, from shareholders to customers, to suppliers, all the way to the employees themselves. Involve them, therefore, also in the monitoring phase of the system and constantly seek their opinions: processes such as the implementation of a corrective action or the conduct of an internal audit are at the heart of the quality management system: involving employees in these processes will ensure that the system automatically corrects course whenever there is a need for a small or large adjustment. Greater involvement, in fact, means greater knowledge of the system and a more accurate opinion on how it works, which will translate into useful suggestions for continuous improvement.
Finally, don't forget the most important thing: celebrate the milestones achieved thanks to your quality system with your collaborators, make sure that each of them shares success stories and the sense of accomplishment that this success has brought with colleagues. Greater involvement also in the company's results brings a greater sense of responsibility in achieving them and this, you realize it yourself, is a huge advantage.
In summary, the main advantages of real employee involvement in the design and implementation of the company's quality system are:
- a uniform implementation of ISO 9001:2015 given by the participation of all the people who work there;
- a continuous strengthening of the performance of your management system given by vigilant and competent employees who at all times have a clear idea of what is happening and who share their knowledge of a process with colleagues, so that everything works at its best at all times and at every point in the process;
- a better result during first, second and third party audits given by the active participation of employees