Getting an ISO 9001 certification proves to have several benefits for your business. For one, it can greatly help your company achieve your business targets and goals. However, it is necessary to rigorously prepare for its implementation, regardless of the size of your enterprise.
Thus, here are some of the materials that you need to provide for your first ISO 9001 training.
Awareness training material content
Definition of the QMS Concept
The first material that you need to provide in your awareness training is a brief definition of the quality management system, or QMS concept. It is important that this is included in your ISO 9001 training because there is a possibility that many employees in the organization are unaware of what QMS is about. It will be easier for them to understand the underlying principle behind ISO 9001 if they have a good grasp on what the QMS concept in general is about.
Background of the ISO 9001 Standard
It is also imperative to discuss the ISO 9001 standard in your training, and how this is applicable in your company’s QMS. Different industries have varying QMS practices and it is important to relate the particular QMS practice in your industry to the ISO 9001 standard. In addition to this, it is also important to make it clear to your organization why you are using this standard. There are several other QMS standards, but ISO 9001 may be the one that is recognized by your customers. A good background about the ISO 9001 standard will make it more effortless for your organization to understand the benefits that you can garner from its implementation.
Reason behind the Implementation
Transparency is important in any organization. Thus, it is necessary to discuss the reason why you are implementing a quality management system to keep everyone in your team aligned. For instance, if your enterprise has not ventured in the implementation of a QMS process in the past, there is a great chance that people in your organization will wonder why you are doing so now. Conversely, if they understand the reason why your company is exerting effort to implement a QMS, they will most likely be cooperative.
General Requirements
After the reason behind a QMS implementation is clear to everyone in your team, everybody needs to be aware of the general requirements that need to be met for the certification. Thus, ensure that this material is available in your awareness training, because even employees who are not required to know ISO 9001 in depth will need to have a good idea about the structure of the requirements. In this way, everybody will be able to work on a common goal in terms of the certification process and QMS implementation.
Expectations
The most important information in your awareness training would be the expectations that you will set for your team, such as how you think they will use the QMS. After discussing the concept behind QMS, as well as the ISO 9001 standard, be clear on the role of each employee in your organization, such as what you would want them to do or how you need them to proceed with the process. The people involved need to understand that they need to strictly follow the procedures in the structure for consistency. But in parallel, they also need to provide feedback regarding the things that they deem can further be improved in the process.
Training and awareness for the top management
The goal of conducting an awareness training for the top management is to ensure that the company executives support the ISO 9001 effort. This can be achieved by highlighting the benefits of an ISO 9001 certification for your company, which may include the internal, operational, as well as marketing benefits that this system can bring. It is also important to bring up the resource requirements and the cost involved to acquire the certification. Finally, it is important to convey to the top management their role and involvement in the process.
Training and Awareness for the Employees
The implementation of the ISO 9001 standard in your company’s QMS will most likely affect your entire business workflow and processes. Thus, it is necessary to inform all of the company’s employees about this effort and gain their support. In the training, be clear about the company’s plan for ISO 9001, the benefits that they can get from it, as well as what is expected from them.
Training and awareness for the lead person
In an ISO 9001 implementation, it is necessary to delegate a lead person who will champion the process and ensure that all tasks required for the certification are promptly completed. The lead person needs to have an in-depth understanding of the ISO 9001 standard and its requirements. He or she also needs to gain a sufficient insight on the most widely accepted interpretations of the standard and how these can be applied in your organization. Finally, the lead person needs to be thoroughly trained on the implementation steps that will be undertaken.
Other materials necessary
- Computer-based training appropriate for project leaders, managers, and the employees of the organization
- Quality manual
- Procedures that describe the quality system processes to meet the ISO 9001 requirements
- Forms and tables which are referenced by the procedures
- A project manager’s guide that help plan and organize the implementation
- Gap analysis checklist
- Internal audit checklist
It can be deemed that there are numerous quality management principles encompassed in ISO 9001 that help an organization clearly define how they need to operate in order to satisfy not only their customers, but also the stakeholders of the company. Some of these principles focus on the customer while others focus on the organization. Nevertheless, all these principles need to be touched in the ISO 9001 training to ensure that any task associated with the certification is seamlessly and promptly accomplished. Apart from these principles, ensure that all the rest of the materials needed in the ISO 9001 training are provided because these are all geared towards a successful QMS implementation later on.