This tip is a natural progression from the above ‘Management Commitment: Lead from the Top’. Because if top management is genuinely committed to the quality system, it will encourage people’s participation in the organization. Because? Because if everything related to ‘quality’ is left in the hands of a single key person or even a few people:
- The system will have a narrow focus, with a single set of ideas.
- When the ‘champions of quality’ move on (leave, retire, transfer, or quit in frustration), the system will break down.
- While “quality champions” can put forth a superhuman effort, the sum total of most people not contributing will more than make up for it.
The difference between a successful organization and a failed one can sometimes be the result of a few subtle factors: in an organization, there can be a sense of unity and purpose; people who at least know what the values and goals of the organization are, and who have a role to play in achieving them. In another, there may be disunity, with individuals and business units working with different and sometimes conflicting agendas. In terms of quality management, a successful organization tends to be one in which everyone contributes at least something towards the common good, rather than considering “Quality? No! That’s not my job. I think we have someone who deals with that.“. When all the people in an organization are pointing in at least the same direction, that organization will naturally have a better chance of getting there.
So how can you encourage people to get more involved?
- From day one, an explanation of the organization’s policy and goals should be part of the induction training for new workers.
- For existing workers, a “quality awareness” session can be included in staff meetings, team meetings, or “tool talks.” An opportune moment may occur when introducing new equipment, software, or methods. This should not be a dry read on the ISO standard, but rather a discussion in plain English about what the organization is trying to achieve in terms of quality management and what role they can play in its success.
- The quality policy should be widely communicated: place it on your website, on your intranet site, and display it prominently in work areas. While organizations often post a copy of the quality policy in their reception area, very often many workers can access the building through other entrances, or can work remotely. In which case, consider how those people are going to be aware of the policy.
- Goals should be set at different levels throughout the organization: for the organization as a whole, for departments, for teams, and for individuals. Of course, these must be complementary and coherent with each other.
- Establishing clear responsibilities and authorities, for example, in job descriptions
- Creating a culture that encourages communication and rewards ideas, and providing the mechanisms for that communication to happen.
A useful tool can be simply changing the brand. Eyes tend to glaze over at the mention of quality manuals and procedures. For many, the very word “quality” conjures up visions of the heavy, dusty folders of the old systems of the 1980s and 1990s, where consultants were paid by the pound of documents they produced, empires were built on bureaucracy, and the auditors reviewed the minute details. of documents Why not call the system your ‘Business Management System’ or ‘Business Guide’?
