a group of employees sitting around a table

ISO 9001, ISO 45001, ISO 13485, or more are popular quality management standards with millions of certified companies worldwide. However, many businesses make mistakes during the application and implementation process.

In this blog, we’ll discuss some of these mistakes and ISO certification challenges and how to fix and address them during the ISO standard application and implementation process.

Here’s what you need to know:

Working With The Wrong Consultants

One of the biggest stumbling blocks during the ISO certification application is working with consultants who don’t understand your business or business model. Also, many companies don’t choose to work with consultants at all. However, they do have to find trainers to train their employees and break years of habit based on the new management and safety standards.

Moreover, trainers or mentors that’ll teach your employees and explain the standard’s requirements significantly impact your employees’ perception of the new ISO standard. Therefore, we strongly suggest you choose your consultants wisely.

Ensure they know what they’re doing and develop a customized approach to your business model. They should adapt as much as possible to your organization and not make any drastic changes unless absolutely necessary. They should also focus on small fruitful changes that greatly impact your organizational operations.

a group of employees discussing metrics on a document

Not Involving The Employees In The Process

Imposing new rules, regulations, and standard operating procedures out of the blue can often backfire and prevent employees from readily accepting healthy changes. Therefore, try to gather feedback from them on the proposed changes. When they actively think about a solution to the problem and suggest it to you and your management, they’ll own the solution and feel connected to the improvement process. This way, they’re more likely to accept the changes.

However, if you determine a solution and tell your employees what to do, they’ll find a hundred reasons why this solution is not right for them. But this doesn’t mean we allow all the employees to solve all their problems. Therefore, involve individuals with impeccable education and skill background who can comprehend the complexities of the problem and have the potential and capacity to improve workplace safety and management standards.

People working for businesses have a lot to offer, and involving them in the decision-making, problem-solving, application, and implementation process can reduce employee resistance in the long run.

Cultural Change And Employee Resistance

Cultural change and employee resistance are natural consequences of the ISO standard application and implementation process. However, if you gain your employees’ cooperation, you can successfully implement ISO standards in your organization.

If you’ve ever tried to implement change in your organization, you must know how difficult it is for people to break their habits and conform to new ones. In this case, the ISO standard implementation process is very similar. Most people in your organization will resist this change, straining the workplace culture and environment.

To address this issue, explain to your employees, in detail, the reason behind this change and explain the problems in the current business operation and daily tasks. Discuss some specific requirements you’re not currently meeting and how the new standards will meet these requirements, like implementing an internal management system with CRM software. Your new employees might have to learn the new SOPs and receive training for the software required based on the ISO standards.

Once you explain its impact on their skills and knowledge and how it improves their work efficiency, they’ll be more open to the implemented change.

a person wearing a grey top in the workplace

Unrealistic Application And Implementation Timeframes

ISO certifications applications and implementation takes time. And even having an unrealistic timeframe in the first place is a blatant sign that you need ISO certification to realize the complexity and reality of your business operation and management practices.

Short timeframes are one of the most crucial challenges organizations and businesses get wrong during the application process. You cannot get certified in a couple of weeks because you need close a tender with a specific client. It’s a gradual process that looks into your management practices in detail and identifies holes and inefficiencies for which you have to improve your business management practices to get certified.

So, create a realistic timeline with your consultants.

a consultant and a manager looking at the laptop screen

Getting Certified For The Wrong Reasons

Many organizations and businesses have a mindset of procedures for the sake of getting an ISO certification rather than actively improving their business operation. For example, improving their customer feedback channels for ISO rather than perceiving it as their client’s need from the business, which they can continuously improve upon. If you continue with this mindset, you may get the ISO certification. However, it won’t be enough to resume business practices in the long run, ultimately damaging your reputation and losing your competitive edge in the market.

Some businesses often apply for certifications because their competitors are doing. If you seek certification for the same reasons, take a step back and reflect. You may feel pressured to play catch up, but it’s not enough if your actual services and products aren’t as good or better than your competitors. If you focus on getting a certification for the sake of it, it won’t be good for your business. Instead, focus on improving your offerings and process efficiency based on ISO standards and then apply for ISO with a mindset of continuously improving your management practices.

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Get ISO 9001 Consulting Services With BCS

If you’re having ISO certification challenges, our experts at BCS can help you. We have extensive experience working with businesses in different industries, including manufacturing, oil and gas, healthcare, aeronautics, and many more, helping them become ISO certified.

Get in touch with us today to learn more about our ISO certification consultancy and how to apply for ISO 9001, ISO 45001 certification, ISO 13485 certification, and other ISO certifications.

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