Here at Quest for Future Solutions, we’re fans of management systems. ISO certified management systems are designed to make organizations work better, improve your performance and help you to achieve your organizational aims.

So why do we so often see people and organizations who are not fans of their own management systems; who find them burdensome, or just ignore them until a few days before their audit?

Every single clause of the standards is designed to support your organization. If the way in which you are meeting the requirements of that clause isn’t adding value for you, then think about what that clause is trying to achieve and how you could meet the requirements in a meaningful and useful way.

For example, we often see organizations for whom the management review process is a box-ticking exercise to cover all of the requirements listed in whichever standard they are working to. This is a very expensive waste of top management time! The management review clause is included in the standards to give you a chance to stand back from everyday management system operations and consider whether the system is working well for you, what changes there have been either inside or outside the organization that might mean that you need to change what you are doing, what your priorities are for the coming period and how you are going to resource them. If done well, it is an excellent use of top management time.

If your management system isn’t an effective tool in helping you to achieve your organizational aims, then you need to take action to improve it. If you need a hand, call us to talk about our troubleshooting service. We will be able to help you become a fan of your system.