If you haven't considered the impact of remote working on your quality management system, now is the time to take action.
Many people across the UK are currently working from home in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. At time of writing (5th November 2020), the governments of all four nations of the United Kingdom are telling businesses to switch to remote working if they can:
- From gov.uk: "Everyone who can work from home must do so."
- From gov.scot: "Organisations should make every reasonable effort to make working from home the default position."
- From gov.wales: "The most effective way of minimising the risk of exposure to coronavirus in workplaces is to enable some or all staff to work from home, as often as possible."
- From nidirect.gov.uk: "Carefully follow the strict physical distancing measures put in place by your employer. This includes working from home where possible, using phone, email and teleconferencing to stay in touch."
As a company director, it is your responsibility to keep your employees safe. But you must also consider the implications of some or all staff working from home; it may be necessary to take action in order to keep the business running smoothly.
Don't forget about your quality management system!
If you have a quality management system (QMS) in place, its requirements still apply even when your entire workforce is working from home.
When you switch to remote working, it's important to review your QMS and make sure that you will still be able to achieve continuous improvement regardless of this change. This is especially true if you are ISO 9001 certified, as your organisation will need to pass annual surveillance audits in order to maintain this certification.
If you need help with your QMS during this challenging time, call NPT Management Systems on 02380 659 867 or email enquiries@nptmanagementsystems.co.uk. Our experienced quality consultants have helped countless companies to achieve ISO 9001 certification and pass their surveillance audits.
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