Achieving ISO certification – whether for quality, environment, or health and safety – is a milestone worth celebrating. But, beyond the certificate on the wall, is your management system a true driver of improvement?
Often Brookfields are asked to complete an audit with a client, an independent review of their management system ahead of an external audit. We see very good management systems that are well written, their documentation is flawless, they have stuck to the audit plan and pass their audits with flying colours.
On first appearance, everything looks perfect, but when you get chatting with the QHSE (Quality, Health and Safety and Environment) Manager, sometimes you find a very different story. As consultants, we are there to provide advice, and we can talk about previous experiences, and help the manager overcome obstacles. (Obviously confidentiality is key with no names mentioned!)
What differences do I mean? One theme tends to stand out.
Their emails to colleagues about the management system are ignored, and people often see the procedures and reporting requirements of ISO as red tape.
From Compliance to Building a Culture
Having well-written policies, documented procedures, and outstanding audit results is important, but compliance alone doesn’t create a great management system.
Your management systemis a dynamic tool that shapes and improves the company culture. Policies and procedures are the basis for this, but it’s your people that drive its success.
A positive culture doesn’t grow from rules, it grows from relationships.
If you implement a rigid and bureaucratic system, you can make it hard to follow. You risk creating obstacles that employees resent, and inadvertently, pushing them to take short-cuts around your procedures.
They are unlikely to understand or agree with the real intention of the system, and they won’t get behind your leadership.
How often have we seen, or experienced, not being listened to when trying to implement a change to the management system? To reiterate, the driving force for the improvement of a management system needs to come from your people.
When leaders get involved, the management system comes alive.
They show up for toolbox talks, and when an issue arises they don’t point fingers but rather look for solutions. The team sees this difference, and because they see it, they start to care.
This is what builds a culture of ownership – when safety, environmental protection and quality are not chores, but rather shared priorities.
ISO standards provide a powerful framework for organisational improvement and can be a smart way to improve culture. But, alongside the requirements from the standards, comes the need for real intention and involvement from top and middle management. That’s when you get awareness, training and participation employees.
Otherwise it is just a tick-box exercise.
If You Want QHSE to Matter, You’ve Got to Live It
A strong QHSE culture doesn’t begin with a new policy or procedure. It begins with people, and people don’t follow memos. They follow leaders.
Next time you want to implement an improvement, or change a procedure, don’t just send out another announcement. Meet with the relevant people, explain the reason behind the change and gain their insights.
Make it real, and something they will remember.
Because at the end of the day, leadership isn’t about what you say – it’s about what you do. If you want your team to believe in QHSE, you’ve got to live it first.
