Today’s marketplace continues to demand products faster and at lower prices.  In an effort to streamline productivity and reduce costs, some manufacturers have minimized or abandoned quality controls.  The result is often negative:  customer satisfaction decreases as does repeat business.  In turn, this causes the company to invest more money into finding new customers and new markets.  A properly implemented and managed quality control process can help increase business, decrease costs, improve employee morale, and decrease employee turnover. 

Many companies have tried developing a culture of quality but have not reaped the full benefits of their efforts.  This is probably due to the failure to focus on and manage all six of the essential elements of a Complete Quality Process (CQP). 

Leadership and top management commitment
To master CQP, the organization’s leadership needs to fully embrace the idea that quality control is fundamental to the company’s success.  Without the complete support and participation of top management, quality initiatives will fail. 

The role of leadership is to design and guide quality initiatives as well as to serve as an example.  They need to be well educated about CQP and its application within the organization so that they may properly train their employees.  Empowering employees is also part of the equation.  This will allow everyone to help manage CQP. 

100 percent employee involvement
Quality is a full organization effort and cannot be accomplished by selecting a small team to implement initiatives within the organization.  Every employee at every level in the organization must understand that quality is their responsibility.  To accomplish this, employee involvement must be structured to include defined objectives, goals, and a training schedule.  An organization may opt to create a quality department to assist with maintaining this structure.

Communication
Communication must be understood at its most basic definition:  the transmission and reception of information.  In general, management assumes that they have adequately communicated with their employees by telling them what to do.  In reality, people will respond to what they hear, not necessarily to what was said.  This gap can be closed by keeping communication clear and frequent and by asking for feedback.  The intent of most communication from management should be to provide your employees with the information they need to make the best decisions possible. 

Training
This is an investment that should not be overlooked.  To continue the advancement of your business, all employees need to partake in both technical and quality-specific training on a regular basis.  Your company’s quality and training departments should work together to develop a curriculum that continues to build the knowledge base of its employees.  To get started, you may consider employing the services of a consultant or outside trainer.  If you choose to use an external source, make sure that the training program is designed to fit your organization and that you will take ownership of the materials after the completion of the course.  These materials can then be enhanced and built upon for future training sessions.

Measurement
In the context of quality, there are two valid forms of measurement: (1) to make data available as a source of ideas for improvement and (2) to check progress against a goal.  Measurement is the catalyst to continue moving quality initiatives forward.  Another benefit is accountability and ownership as well as an increase in team morale.  Understanding the activities each person is responsible for and when goals have been achieved are building blocks for your CQP culture.

Recognition, gratitude, and celebration
Often we get so caught up in the process that we don’t celebrate when goals are reached.  A company needs to say “thank you” and “good job” to the employees who help it succeed.  Extending gratitude and recognition is an act of leadership that will shape behavior and boost morale.  Time also should be taken to celebrate the successes accomplished by your team.  These gestures will help reinforce the team environment and the need to work towards a common goal of quality.

In conclusion, quality is a culture, and it needs to be cultivated and nourished.  With continual attention to all six components of CQP, your organization will achieve the results it desires--the higher productivity and lower costs that your competitors are trying desperately to achieve by cutting staff and processes.  Investing in CQP may be that differentiator you have been looking for.