1. Customer Focus 2. Leadership 3. Involvement of People 4. Process Approach 5. Systems Approach to Management 6. Continuous improvement 7. Factual Approach to Decision-Making 8. Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relationship

Building Stable Processes

ISO 9001 policies, procedures and forms can provide employers, managers and employees with a systematic and consistent approach to implementing policies, plans, procedures and work routines. Instead of building their own policies and procedures from scratch, some companies prefer to hire professional writers that have already prepared a set of written policies and procedures to help on way to certification.

Auditing a Company System

In certification process, an independent registrar will perform an on-site audit of a company’s operations to verify that it complies with ISO standard. If business complies, then that company will be registered as ISO 9001 compliant.

Meeting Company and Customer Needs

On way to certification, a business can meet its ISO needs by:

•Using well-defined processes and procedures to build stable processes •Training in audit and certification process •Continuously improving with ISO 9001 standards

Noticing Difference

With complete procedures manuals for ISO 9001 Quality Management System, required HR procedures, and an ISO training class, a template like an ISO 9001 Quality Manager Procedures Manual Series can help a business on its way to ISO 9001 certification. Sometimes effort can be very great, but companies typically notice a remarkable difference in efficiency and effectiveness after first year.

6. Improve your performance. The way to really save time on tasks such as writing and proofreading is to become better at them. Use 30 minutes you save daily while reducing your perfectionism to read chapters in a grammar book, expand your vocabulary with useful words (forget most of five syllable ones) or take an online business writing course. Nobody should spend an hour drafting a thank you letter; yet I've seen it happen multiple times in corporate environments at all staff levels.

7. Call while they're out. "When phoning someone to give information, call when you are likely to reach their voicemail," says Barclay. "That way you can quickly leave a message and not get caught up in chitchat."

8. Think realistically. "Don’t focus on 'catching up,'” says Laura Stack, president of "The Productivity Pro"® and author of "Leave Office Earlier." "You will never catch up. There will always be more things to do than there is time to do them. People have a tendency to create work to fill up any amount of time they have. They’ll accomplish same amount of work in a 45-minute meeting as a 90-minute meeting. When working late is a habit, you tend to slack off a little. But by being more productive during day, you’ll get same amount of work done...and leave earlier," explains Stack.

9. Get ready to go. "Make preparations to leave," says Stack, who teaches seminars about time management, information overload, and personal productivity (Laura@TheProductivityPro.com). "Gather up your coat and put it in a visible spot so others can see you’re closing shop. Close your door a few minutes before quitting time so people will think you’re busy or already gone."

Now leave! Get home earlier today (or at least on time). Then perhaps you'll start work day tomorrow feeling more refreshed, enabling you to be even more productive utilizing same amount of hours.

© 2004 Karen Fritscher-Porter