Penna PLC – ISO Quality Services Ltd Case Study
Penna is a global HR people management business with an exceptional track record in the HR services industry.
They provide recruitment, development and career transition solutions for over 2000 organisations in more than 70 countries, across many different sectors, from multinational conglomerates to hi-tech start-ups, from large public sector bodies to high-profile non-profits.
Despite already being incredibly successful, Penna has found that their customers are increasingly looking for assurances with regards to quality of service provision.
As a result, they chose to implement the internationally recognised ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard.
Why the ISO 9001?
When asked why Penna had chosen to implement the ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard in particular, Head of Operations, Gerry O’Neill commented;
“We strive to undertake continuous improvement and the ISO 9001 standard provides an excellent framework for us to work with”.
Much like other organisations, the decision to implement was not taken lightly as they had reservations regarding the bureaucracy it would add to business operations.
In addition to this, Penna was concerned as to how the standard would translate to an organisation in the business service sector.
These concerns however were swiftly resolved once they had the opportunity to discuss everything at length before moving forward and in particular Gerry mentioned;
“We received excellent support from the auditors who helped us define and validate our QMS and through the ongoing support provided by other members of ISOQSL staff”.
It is important to us that potential clients have all the facts before making the decision to pursue ISO Certification, we pride ourselves on being open and honest at all times.
The Implementation Process
The implementation process with ISO Quality Services Ltd takes between 6-8 weeks and this was something that Penna was very happy about.
“The timeline and process from initial assessment through to presentation of certificate fitted with exactly what we had hoped and what we were told.”
As with any ISO Management Standard, there is a strong focus on continual development and this is something that Gerry was keen to highlight, adding;
“As with such a significant activity, we are still working through different levels of understanding and behaviours within the business, to ensure we achieve full adoption, but this is nothing that was not anticipated”.
The Benefits
There are countless benefits to achieving the ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard and Penna in particular have seen two key benefits.
Firstly, having a standard framework to work to, employees know exactly how to carry out tasks – even when it is not one that they usually carry out.
Gerry revealed;
“It has helped to remove ambiguity, provide a standard framework to work to, without being too prescriptive”.
In addition to this there are the external benefits and specifically the recognition from customers as to the effectiveness of the Quality Management System being run.
Running a large organisation can prove very complex. The ISO 9001 is designed to support a company in ensuring they meet the needs of their customers, whilst delivering a consistent level of quality and satisfaction.
In Reflection
We’re always delighted to work with companies who embrace the ISO standard that they have worked hard to achieve while at the same time utilising it as a tool to further grow their business.
“Our first review was completed at the end of June and I’m delighted with the approach taken by our auditor in providing an honest appraisal of our development so far and the identification of future areas of focus.
We would definitely recommend ISO Quality Services Ltd.”
For more information about the ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard contact us on 01905 670303 or email us at info@isoqsltd.com. Alternatively, visit the respective webpage HERE.
For more information regarding Penna and the services that they provide, they are contactable via the below channels:
Telephone: 0800 028 1715
Email: corporate@penna.com
Website: http://www.penna.com/