Effective training according to ISO 9001 2000
During the last time, concepts such as international free trade agreements, globalization of economies, expansion of markets, competitiveness, etc. have been repeated, all of which is showing us that, for a company to survive, and even better, to be successful in this new scenario that is being generated, it is necessary to adopt some strategies that make it possible to act effectively. Among these strategies is to achieve the certification of the products and services that the company provides, so that it can be recognized and accepted in the different markets to which it tries to access. One of the best known and used standards is ISO 9000, which is being increasingly considered in companies in many countries. Now, what does training have to do with this standard?
With the inclusion of the concept "labor competence" in the new version of the quality management systems (ISO 9001: 2000), the gap that the previous versions had in terms of assuring the capabilities of the personnel has been filled, as we will see in the following paragraphs.
In the 1994 version of ISO 9000, the guidelines and orientations that complement the standard, contained in point 5.2.4 of ISO 9004, indicated that it would be convenient to determine the level of competence, experience and training necessary to ensure the work capacity of the personal. However, this norm is limited to specifying that the personnel whose activities affect quality, "must be qualified and will have to be trained." Now in this new version, it is stipulated that the personnel must be "competent", requiring that the organization: a) determine the required competency profiles, b) execute the training aimed at developing the competences, c) select and assign personnel by demonstrated competencies,d) ensure that staff are aware of the importance and relevance of their activities and how it contributes to quality objectives, e) evaluate the effectiveness of the training provided, and f) keep education, training, qualification and staff experience.
Although all the aspects that ISO 9001: 2000 involves about HR are important, I consider it necessary to highlight two of them, which are the ones that make the fundamental difference in relation to the previous version:
- Being qualified versus being competent. Train only versus Evaluate the effectiveness of training.
These differences represent a notable change in the management model, by including as an important and fundamental element human resources in the quality system.
Any organization that wishes to participate successfully in this globalized economy, with its implicit and explicit elements, must at least develop the strategies that allow it to reach the minimum level required for efficient management of its personnel, for which it must concern itself with the following:
- Define the required competency model, regarding its orientation and coverage. Prepare the competency profiles. Generate a mesh of skills development. Assess individual competencies. Train those people who require it. Evaluate the effectiveness of the training.
All of the above must be carried out systematically, organized and based on a quality culture that must be present in the organization.
This means a new complexity that is introduced in the management of ISO quality standards. Treating and evaluating processes is not the same as individuals. The relationship between what an individual must demonstrate to be competent in planned and unplanned situations is less evident than complying with quality rules in process. And each individual is a case that must be treated as such, which in an organization quickly translates into a multiplication of processes, not only of the technical order but also of the social type. The learning that is sought to achieve continuous improvement and customer satisfaction involves a lot of social interaction that is guided by other rules and mechanisms than physical processes (expectations, sensitivity, power relationships, among others).
Furthermore, competition can ensure that the person is capable, but it does not guarantee that he will always apply this capacity, which requires complementary instruments for monitoring the demonstrated competence. This brings us to another important question, at what point can we say that an organization has a competency assessment and training model installed? Is it perhaps when you have complied with all or part of the following fundamental aspects: profiles, performance criteria, evaluation and training instruments, verification and / or certification formats and corresponding procedures?
It is not so obvious to determine how to apply a management by labor competence that meets the requirements of the standard. This requires learning in the management of the competition standard and in the corresponding ISO standard. The time has come to further professionalize the area of people development or training, in order to respond to what is being requested or, rather, demanding.
In conclusion, the challenge will be not to lose sight of the strategic approach to labor competencies, with its simple and at the same time significant model, based on flexibility and transferability, which does not treat human resources as a 'block', but like many individuals with their own development needs and goals that must be matched with those of the company.
Everything that up to here described, generates the urgent need to include in human resources management the aspects inserted in point 6.2 of ISO 9001: 2000. So the question is: Are we ready?
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