Welcome to our third blog in this series of Keeping Your Management System Simple. If you missed our previous blogs, do not worry. You can catch up here!
In this addition, we will be looking into Duplication &Centralisation.
· Integrate Systems
o If you have more than one Standard, look to bring them together.
o It is not just about reducing the number of documents or reducing the workload, which it will. It is also about removing the contradiction of the System. It is unlikely that two procedures will be the same, for example, internal audits.
o Integrating your System is cheaper and will reduce the number of audit days.
· Do not keep several copies of the System in different locations.
o If you can, avoid keeping hard copies of the System.
o Document control your most common nonconformities.
o Having several copies of your Management System makes the whole thing hard work and challenging to keep on top of.
o Look to centralise. It is far less time consuming and labour intensive.
o Much easier to roll out updates.
· Use the Management System to signpost out across the organisation.
o Do not try and keep everything under the umbrella of your Management System.
o Management Systems should act as a framework and tell a story.
o Use all the areas of your Management System, for example, Risks & Opportunities, Controls, Roles & Responsibilities, and Records.
o It helps involve others and stops everything resting on one person's shoulders.
· Define Roles & Responsibilities
o Define Roles & Responsibilities around these controls so that people can see their part in the Management System.
o Share responsibility and workload across the organisation.
o Defining Roles & Responsibilities creates shared accountability.
· Coordinate Audits and Management Review
o Back to integration – you do not need to complete a full set of audits at every location or department. You need to consider risk and design and an appropriate audit plan. The same can be said for the Management Review and several other core ISO requirements.
o Coordinating consistent elements of different standards can help save time and remove duplication.
Our Top Tip – use one Management System, integrate where possible and utilise roles and responsibilities throughout your organisation.
Our next blog in this series will be looking at Complexity & Language. Please follow us on LinkedIn to know when this is published.
Can't wait for the next blog? Follow this link to watch the entire webinar Keeping Your Management System Simple -YouTube
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