QMS and PMS: The “New” Dynamic Duo

Holy Bill of Rights! There is a new dynamic duo replacing Batman and Robin and it’s not a Korean hip-hop group. This new dynamic duo is sweeping across shipping and other major industries in all corners of the globe and they are called Quality Management System (QMS) and Performance Management System (PMS).

At the second half of last year, ASM and ISNTC joined arms with about a million companies worldwide in implementing independent but complementing efforts to improve both quality and performance. This is ASM’s and ISNTC’s strategic move to ride over the waves of today’s challenges in order to ensure a better future that will be passed on to the next generation of managers and employees.

Since then, the two organizations have started to take very serious efforts to go though the cycle of planning, doing, checking and improving quality and performance through QMS and PMS, respectively.

The QMS-PMS Cycle

Planning

At defined intervals various executive and inter-/intra-departmental meetings have been established to set quality and performance plans. These meetings are also being used to settle gaps from within and to build better collaboration across various functions. At this stage, quality and performance goals go through rigorous reviews before finally being communicated across all levels. Quality documents are also reviewed for suitability to ensure that goals are supported by the right procedures and instructions.

Doing (and supporting)

Once plans have been laid out, it is now time for employees to do their job to meet quality and performance goals while management slides to a supporting role. Employees work hard while the management monitors and provides resources to ensure the success of the employees and ultimately, the two organizations.

Checking (or Assessment)

On a monthly period, management checks or assesses the outcomes of efforts to reach quality and performance goals. This is done through one-to-one meetings between management and employees. Also, at planned intervals, the two organizations go through two internal audits and an external audit to check whether procedures and instructions are followed and are supporting the attainment of goals. At first, employees dread this phase but little by little, they are starting to see checking and assessment periods as opportunities to highlight their successes and recognize chances for improving on their shortcomings.

Improving (or Reinforcing)

The climax of this cycle is the improving or reinforcing stage. At this point all results, not efforts (efforts are not good enough), are measured against planned quality and performance goals. Like a climax from a Batman movie, everyone is at the edge of their seats by this time. Did I say everyone? Yes! This includes the management. ASM and ISNTC recognize that success and failure are both determined by the teamwork between management and the employees.

The Voyage Ahead

The QMS and PMS programs of the two organizations are still young and this only means that there are big rooms for improvement. Nevertheless, the two management systems have already started to be catalysts for a paradigm shift which has helped management in making more data-driven decisions. With that, the two organizations have expressed their desire to establish a formal management information system (MIS) in the near future to work alongside with QMS and PMS.