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How to take your Incident Management System from paper to online

With the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics making us aware just how many workplace accidents are happening out there, every organization needs to have solid, commonsense procedures, combined with modern accessibility systems to manage incidents correctly.

Not only are paper based management systems cumbersome and a truly outdated way of record keeping, they cost more in dollar terms than you may want to know.

It’s easier than you might think to move from paper to online, and you’ll be relieved at the time, not to mention the aggravation for your people you save. 

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7 reasons why you should go for a digital QMS

Are you still using an abacus to count your incidents at work or customer complaints? 

Why insist on nonsensical, time-consuming, manual systems for quality management?

There are very good reasons to say goodbye to manual quality systems and go for a digital QMS.

 

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Why the worst Project Managers sleep at night

Pretty unfair isn’t it?

You work tirelessly to get things right, only to be faced with a co-worker that really doesn’t seem to be all that interested. And no, this is not just your imagination, this is happening all over. Personality differences aside, however valid a point, there are some who will not see the benefits of putting in the whole nine yards, for the betterment of everyone.

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The proven way to implementing a Quality Assurance System for your Business

We all know how important it is for an organization to have, or, at least be thinking about a sensible, effective quality management system.

Document control is where it all begins, but knowing it and implementing it can be two very different things. So with all the best intentions in mind, let’s look at some ways to do exactly that. Don’t look away, this is about you too.

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7 Ways to ramp up your QA and improve your customer service

Quality assurance for the benefit of your customers?

Yes, it’s true it can be done and not remain the folk lore that some, more cynical among us, may think.

Whenever an organization begins to consider quality from a customer point of view, a whole new world of opportunity and customer satisfaction can open up. 

But don’t get too confident, just yet.

Just to be annoying, those potential revelations can also shine a spotlight toward the proverbial can of worms.

 

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How these 6 Processes can change the direction of your business

Every business wants to move onward and upward, but at times processes and their associated pathways can get messy. In particular, there seems to be 6 main areas of process stress which, alarmingly, cover quite a number of potential internal breakdowns.

Your future business strategies depend on efficient and effective business processes. If the following 6 standard processes can be observed and bettered, your organization will gain a better view to identifying opportunities and future successes.

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Training Records: why I need to keep them

Employee training is extremely valuable, and we all recognize its importance.

Well-trained employees have more confidence in their work, perform better, and are more likely to commit to their employer for the long term. With this comes the need to maintain proper training records.

If you think this simply means checking off a person's name and putting a completed assessment in a file, you may be in for a shock. Proper record-keeping goes far beyond that.

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Document Management isn't just for documents

The way we conduct business these days is very different from say, ten years ago. We have now learned a few key essentials, and have had to focus on various elements to enable us to move forward within our market and grow as an organization. 

Document management is one of those focus points, so it’s time to look at document management and recognize the power this holds outside of merely digital record keeping.

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5 tips to help you meet Goals and Deadlines

Procrastination, poor time management and simple lack of communication when deadlines are looming can lead us all into a free fall. The results can be very hard to swallow. At the very least, they can willingly escort us to a world of indecision and at the worst, unrealized potential.But before I send most of you off to the naughty corner, I think a second chance may be prudent. Whether it is the potential for failure or just our own internal dialogue, goals and deadlines seems to strike the most fear.

So what can be done to alleviate tensions that seem to accompany the defined period of time that is the dreaded deadline?

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7 Reasons employees often pushback against change

In the business world, resistance has all kinds of connotations associated and there are reasons why people suddenly get quiet when presented, in particular, with change. If you think about the word resistance, it tends to invoke negativity right from the beginning. The word itself suggests confrontation, or the idea that a battle may be looming. So what can we expect here? Tears, anger, passive aggressive silences? Yes, yes and yes. Sounds like all your family gatherings rolled into one, doesn’t it? Just saying.

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What to expect with ISO 9001:2015

Unless organizations have been hiding, willingly or not, under rocks for the past few years, most would be familiar with the ISO 9001 international standard that specifies requirements for process and quality management accreditation. It is clear that this standard has assisted business with the process management, without a doubt.

So what now? Well, there’s now a new kid on the block in the form of a revisited and revised standard. Enter, stage right, the ISO 9001:2015!

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How often should Processes be reviewed?

Changes in environment, whether that be advances and implementation of new technologies, changes in physical environment, or key personnel could mean that, before your very eyes, your processes may become outdated, inefficient and obsolete.

The need for continuous improvement of processes is the main reason reviewing is important, but the time taken to do those reviews are key to business growth. So, what am I saying? Do you need to have a process to review a process?

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Man is not made to change

People often try to take the shortest route or the path of least resistance to achieve a goal. It’s a human reflex. However it is a lot worse if laziness becomes a goal in itself.

In many (often larger) organizations, there are always employees that see it as their duty to do as little as possible. Unfortunately, they also often try to drag others down with them – sometimes through intimidation.

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No news is NOT good news !

A couple of years ago, one of my colleagues at Vivaldi Software had an annoying problem with his mobile phone connection. So, in a fit of temporary insanity, he decided to call his Telco’s helpdesk to complete a support ticket. After submitting the ticket, he patiently waited for someone to call back with a solution. However, a few days turned into a week, and then into several weeks. 

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The horizontal line of text

In this article about layout and design, I want to elaborate on one of the most basic, fundamental requirements to allow an instructional text to be read quickly and without unnecessary cognitive load: the horizontal line of the text. 

Our eyes basically slide unconsciously to the next line of text or paragraph if there is no clear horizontal line to follow. We find it difficult to remain focused on the correct line of text.

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