The Process of Organising the Coronavirus Chaos

23 Sep, 2020

Undeniably, this pandemic is something none of us (besides Bill Gates) were expecting. It’s either risked or directly affected quite literally, every aspect of our lives. Our physical health, our businesses, our mental welfare, our occupations, our families, our social lives and anything else you could possibly think of, I’m sure it’s been affected. There’s no doubt the UK Government have made some difficult decisions during this year, but how do you organise the utter chaos it has created? Well, to best answer this question, how about an example?

In this article, we’re going to liken the similarities between the Government acting on and planning for the effects of the Coronavirus, to a business acting on business needs / tender requirements and planning their future with an ISO 9001 Quality Management System.

Imagine you are part of the management team of a well-known company. Your tenders are insisting that you implement a series of processes and procedures to comply with certain standards, so you find the best consultants and advisors to help you get the job done properly. As well as your business being able to comply with tender needs, it would benefit the company even if this wasn’t a factor, by increasing efficiency internally, customer satisfaction, reducing costs, increasing employee morale etc.

At the beginning of the implementation process, lots of hard work is put in and changes are made. At this point, communication is key. Your team need to know the details of what changes in processes are being made and what this means for them. You also need to give them clear guidance, as this is something they are probably not familiar with. After a few weeks, you become certified and as the business grows and changes, you have to tweak your management system to fit with this.

Complying with the standard becomes more and more normal to you, as it simply becomes an integral part of the business, but be prepared to deal with some resistance from the team, as implementing ISO means things are adapted and improved. Naturally, humans are somewhat resistant to change. This is okay, as the implementation is a process itself – it’s not something you can do, nor get used to overnight. As long as you communicate with your team and ensure efficient and effective change management, it should be a smooth transition. Finally, audits and reviews are completed over a period of time, to ensure the system is still fit for purpose.

Now, I know that was a mouthful, but let’s read it again with some words swapped over:

Imagine you’re one of the Cabinet Ministers of the UK Government. The World Health Organisation (WHO) are insisting that you implement a series of processes and procedures to comply with certain standards, so you find the best consultants and advisors to help you get the job done properly. As well as Government being able to comply with WHO needs, it would benefit the country even if this wasn’t a factor, by increasing public safety, public health and welfare, reducing stress on the NHS, increasing public safety and assurance etc.

At the beginning of the implementation process, lots of hard work is put in and changes are made. At this point, communication is key. The public both want and need to know the details of what changes in everyday life are being made and what this means for them. You also need to give clear guidance, as this situation is something they won’t be familiar with, the last pandemic was over 100 years ago! After a few weeks, the country becomes more and more compliant. As the risk level changes, you have to tweak your management system to fit with this. Complying with the standard becomes more and more normal to the public, as it simply becomes an integral part of living, but be prepared to deal with some resistance.

Naturally, humans are somewhat resistant to change. This is manageable, it’s not something you can expect to do, nor get used to overnight. A prime example being, wearing a mask. It’s been difficult for a lot of people to normalise themselves wearing a mask and socially distancing. That’s natural! As long as you continue to update and communicate with the country and ensure efficient and effective change management, the transition will be as smooth as it can be.  Finally, audits and reviews are completed over a period of time, to ensure the system is still fit for purpose.

The principle is the same, right?

Imagine running your business to an internationally recognised and commended management system, with processes and procedures for everyday ‘business-as-usual’ scenarios, and plans and processes in place for when ‘what-if’ scenarios become real. One of the best things about running your business in compliance with a management system is that you can integrate different systems easily. For example, especially in a time when the future is unpredictable, implementing the Quality Management System (ISO 9001) and the Business Continuity Management System (ISO 22301) in conjunction with each other is incredibly beneficial to your business’ present and your business’ future.

If you’re considering this as a possible route for your business to take, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Call us on 0330 058 5551 or if you’d prefer to put in an enquiry and have a free consultation, click here.