How can you overcome resistance to ISO 9001 implementation?

One of the hurdles I've seen, in generating an effective QMS, is in making the requirements of ISO 9001 an important task for the employees. I've often heard employees complain about having to do things a certain way because "ISO says we have to do it that way". This is almost never true - it was just used as a lever to get employees on board and the result is they do it reluctantly, but don't really buy in. I use the methodology of generating instructional documentation, with employee input, covering all areas of the Standard, that says exactly how we want the company run. When finished, we find it meets or exceeds ISO, but we promote it as how WE want the company to be run, knowing, behind the scenes, our processes comply with ISO 9001.

Definitely one of the top challenges in ISO 9001 implementation. You can have brilliant leaders or get the most expensive consultant but QMS implementation will never be effective if you can't get everyone to cooperate. There are several ways how to do this but I will only focus on one: Buy-in. It is good to communicate how QMS will improve the company but most people, as a human nature, will only care what's in it for them. Either how it will affect their future in the company or how they can grow as an individual.

One aspect, I can personally vouch for; after getting a first hand opportunity to work on ISO 9001 implementation in 2 organizations; is that the process NEEDS to start from the ground level among the people who are actually the integral part of action and NOT from Top down. Top down approach from the management towards the people, never ever is successful as there is no buy-in in the first place. The basic understanding of the processes, sequences and all the value adding steps being performed by the team need to be factored in, in the initial discovery phase. In discovery phase Q&A needs to be pulverized with ISO principles without over-burdening the teams that they are asked to do anything extra will result in effective implementation.

When implemented correctly, ISO 9001 has been shown to improve quality and efficiency. We must communicate clearly that this worldwide quality standard exists to aid, not hinder, our job. I describe it as a chance to improve our procedures, decrease errors, align departments, and raise the quality of our final goods. Most importantly, I explain how ISO 9001 will make their individual work easier. Resistance evaporates as they realise this programme simplifies rather than complicates their duties. Our organisation may leverage ISO 9001 for greater cross-team cooperation and fewer defects through collaborative implementation, staff adoption, and celebrating modest victories.

uno de los principales retos es asegurarse que la alta dirección entiende y asimila todos los requisitos del liderazgo para la norma ISO 9001. una vez más, mediante la utilización de los elementos de comunicación y participación se puede establecer la importancia que tiene el Sistema de Gestión de Calidad. Puede ocurrir que los trabajadores no se adhieran a los procesos establecidos o no registran información que puede ser de vital importancia para los indicadores clave de rendimiento del Sistema de Gestión de Calidad. Esto se puede mejorar con una comunicación más potente y con una acción correctiva tras la auditoría interna.

I believe that most of the time, resistance to ISO 9001 implementation is caused by resistance to change. This is where understanding and applying the Change Curve becomes very useful. In short, a person passes a few stages in their response to change. Leaders can identify specific actions to manage their team members' response depending on which stage they are at on the Change Curve.