How to get your employees excited about quality
“We are introducing a quality management system according to ISO 9001.” This sentence rarely triggers bursts of enthusiasm. Employees ask themselves: What is quality management? Will everything be monitored now? Will we soon only think in terms of business processes?
In this article, you will learn how to get your employees on board during the introduction of a quality management system. More than that: how to get them excited about quality management.
| Approach | Duration |
|---|---|
| Classic certification | 3–6 months |
| Digital certification | a few days |
What does the duration of an ISO certification depend on?
The duration of an ISO certification is essentially determined by three factors:
1. The company’s initial situation
Companies with already structured processes, clear responsibilities, and existing documentation require significantly less time.
2. Complexity of the organization
The more employees, locations, or processes there are, the higher the coordination effort.
3. Certification approach
The greatest leverage lies in the approach: classic consulting vs. digital implementation.
Where do the greatest time losses occur during ISO certification?
The greatest time losses during ISO certification result from a lack of preparation, inefficient internal coordination, and external dependencies. In particular, missing documentation and waiting times at classic certification bodies lead to the process being unnecessarily extended over several months. Here is an overview of some typical causes:

