How do you ensure that standards requirements don't end up as a "paper tiger"?

As a company or organization, ensuring the quality of your products, processes and services is an ongoing priority. A well-designed quality system is indispensable in this regard. However, keeping this system current and relevant, so that it is in line with current business processes, can be a challenge. How do you set it up efficiently and practically, without wasting unnecessary time on peripheral issues? And how do you ensure that the quality system continues to meet the needs of your organization?

For quality managers, it can be difficult to set aside time for reflection. "This is all the more true when you have just graduated and are at the beginning of your career," says Anne Marij Kramer-Koster, business manager Food. "During your education you learned a lot, but in practice it turns out that it is not always easy to apply that knowledge immediately. You are not yet fully capable of independently mapping your organization's processes, you want to organize your work and you wonder how continuous improvement becomes a part of this."

Software systems for quality management (including Quasydoc) can make the life of a quality manager enormously easier. Maintaining (improvement) action lists takes much less time with them. Hygiene rounds, for example, are done digitally, where pictures can be uploaded immediately. But beware, it all hinges on how you set up these software systems; although addressing actions and following up on deadlines now becomes easier, you have to be careful that not every little thing ends up in the action list. Before you know it, you end up with hundreds of actions.

Essence of quality systems

Companies must meet certain standards to ensure quality, but how do you implement them effectively in your own organization? How do you ensure that improved practices are actually implemented? These are questions many quality practitioners struggle with. It can be valuable to take a fresh look at your system and learn from the experiences of others.

Précon Consulting Group meets this need with the training course "Quality Systems That Work. "During this training, participants explore with an experienced trainer and other trainees the essence of quality systems," says Kramer-Koster. "How do you ensure that standards requirements do not end up as a 'paper tiger,' but actually contribute to an effective and working quality system?"

"In the training, the concepts from different standards are discussed, as well as the role you play as a quality officer or manager," Kramer-Koster continued. "Trainees learn which components make up the quality system and how they are interrelated. Why are validations, internal audits and management reviews performed? And how does the PDCA cycle work in practice?"

"It would have helped me tremendously if I had had this training when I just started working." - Marcus Westerveld, QA consultant

Different standards

"It also discusses various standards and how they can be consulted," Kramer-Koster said. "What documents are useful for understanding and implementing these requirements? Common questions are covered in detail, such as: How do you tackle this in practice? Where do you start? How does a certification audit go and what are the best tips and tricks?"

Finally, it is crucial that the quality manager implement changes in the company in such a way that employees understand how these changes move them and the organization forward. "Only then will they be willing to embrace these changes," Kramer-Koster concludes.