Having their manager hover over their shoulder and check on their every move can be enough to drive an employee toward a new job or even out of the industry. And the reason why is simple: No one likes the feeling of being micromanaged. But there’s a stark difference between micromanaging and conducting regular quality audits, and most employees are perceptive enough to recognize that routine checks are actually beneficial. Read on as we detail a few ways that a “trust, but verify” mindset can help leadership illustrate just how much they care for their employees.
Quality audits Improve performance
Many utility workers perform specialized tasks that soon become rote with time. And while there’s certainly something to be said for familiarity, a slight dip in performance can also happen in time. Fortunately, that’s where routine quality checks and a trust, but verify mindset from leadership can make all the difference. Periodic monitoring enables leadership to catch any errors or mistakes that continually occur. Armed with that information, leadership can bring it to the employee’s attention to ensure they remain on the right path toward meeting their own (and the organization’s) goals. Those course corrections may eventually be the catalyst for the employee to win an award, receive a bonus or be promoted.
Quality audits Improve safety
Whether the employee is new to the business or a seasoned veteran, working safely should always be their first priority. Tactics like toolbox talks are an effective way to ensure employees receive daily reminders about safety, but quality audits also have a place in the job site landscape. By peeling the curtain back and watching how employees carry out their tasks, leadership may pick up on a habit or two that puts the employee’s health and security at risk. When that does happen, leadership can use it as a teaching moment, explaining to the employee that their actions may be dangerous and reminding them that employee safety is paramount to the organization.
Quality audits indicate opportunities for training and continuous learning
There’s no doubt that employees appreciate when their supervisors take an active interest in helping them upskill or improve their capabilities. In fact, statistics show that career development is an incredibly important benefit to today’s worker, with 94% of employees saying they would stay at a company longer if the company invested in their development with training. Further, 83% said they would feel happier in their job if the company invested in training resources, while about 40% of employees who receive poor training end up leaving a company in their first year. Conducting quality audits, in addition to engaging in frequent conversations around the employee’s career goals, can shed light on what areas are ripe for training. Your employees will never feel more confident in the fact that you care about them than they do when they know you’re invested in their future.
Utility Partners of America believes in the power of quality audits
As a business that has partnered with utilities and energy cooperatives for more than 25 years, we’ve seen firsthand the power of quality audits and the impact regular audits can have on the job site, employees and their work product. That’s why we recommend to each of our partners that they incorporate quality audits into their standard operating procedures. If you’re interested in learning more about how to carry out these audits, or you’d like to learn more about what we do for utilities like yours, we’d love to chat. Contact us by filling out this form or calling (888) 667-1411.
