3 REASONS WHY QMS INVESTMENTS CREATE A FOUNDATION FOR CULTURE OF QUALITY

For most people, organizational culture is a somewhat ethereal topic. Everyone knows that it’s important, – but it can often be difficult to get one’s hands around it. Culture is inextricably tied to human psychology, which is a complex enough topic unto itself. Organizational culture brings together those thoughts and feelings that people have about their work, the shared values of the organization, the way people relate to each other, and more.

In a healthy corporate culture, people are more likely to find meaning and purpose in their day-to-day work. They are more likely to arrive early and stay late. They will tend to focus on finding solutions rather than placing blame. And they care about quality.

But you cannot buy a good company culture, – you have to create it. It needs to be nurtured and maintained over the long haul. It requires periodic introspection, healthy communication, and a willingness to listen closely to what people have to say.

While organizational culture may be more art than science, though, there are some concrete steps that managers can take to create the kind of environment in which a healthy culture can emerge and flourish. Such measures are frequently aimed at creating the kinds of structures and mechanisms that make it easier for employees to fulfil the organization’s mission.

Investments of time and resources in QMS are critically important if management intends to create and promote healthy quality-focused company culture. Let’s explore three reasons why that is the case.

REASON 1: YOU ARE “PUTTING YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS”

As we’ve discussed elsewhere, the first key to a culture of quality is that management should communicate its commitment to quality frequently, – in company newsletters, at all-hands meetings, and in one-on-one conversations. But stakeholders throughout the organization aren’t just listening to what management says, – they are also watching to see what management does. Are employee incentives aligned to promote quality? Do recognition programs acknowledge workers’ contributions to quality? Is the company allocating resources to quality programs and continuous improvement?

When top-level management allocates time, money, and a portion of their own attention to quality management, it confirms to everyone in the organization that company executives are willing to back up their words with concrete actions. When employees understand that you’re serious about quality, they’ll be more inclined to make that same commitment themselves.

REASON 2: YOU’RE FOCUSING ON THE CUSTOMER

People naturally want to be part of something meaningful, – something bigger than themselves. In a culture of quality, commitment to the customer is top of mind; it drives people throughout the organization to higher levels of excellence. Quality programs begin and end with the customer. In fact the very definition of quality is built around customer expectations and criteria established by the end-user.

Quality management programs not only reinforce an organization’s commitment to serving their customers, – they also create the necessary mechanisms to do that effectively. People naturally want to be part of a winning team. By giving employees the tools, they need to deliver excellence on a consistent basis, you’re laying the foundation for that winning spirit.

REASON 3: YOU ARE IMPROVING THE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE

Unfortunately, some people still perceive quality management as a burdensome undertaking, — a rigid set of processes and practices that result in additional recordkeeping, inspection processes, and voluminous documentation. Quality management does create additional work in some respects, – but that’s more than made up for by the reduced effort needed to resolve customer issues, re-work defective products, and address broader quality issues after they happen.

This is where a good QMS system can be a game-changer for your organization, though. Effective QMS tools can go a long way toward reducing the burdens associated with quality management, – while maintaining or even improving its effectiveness. By giving employees the tools to do the job quickly, easily, and more effectively, your organization can win over those quality-management sceptics in your workforce, building a positive perception and positive results that last well into the future. A good QMS system fundamentally changes the cost/benefit calculus that employees associate with quality management programs.

At Intellect, we provide the tools that organizations need to lay a solid foundation for a culture of quality and excellence.