Laura had always been a fanatic of detail and precision, which made a role as a quality and food safety auditor in the food manufacturing industry seem like a perfect fit. Working for a major food processing company, she was part of the corporate audit team, responsible for checking that every step of the process—from ingredient sourcing to packaging—met the highest standards of quality and food safety.
Yet despite Laura’s best efforts, the job had taken on a negative tone. Colleagues saw her as the enforcer, the “corporate police,” whose sole purpose was to find flaws and impose strict corrective actions. Laura’s presence was often met with apprehension and resistance. Each time Laura completed an audit, it felt like an uphill battle. Employees were defensive and reluctant to engage, and the findings were viewed more as punishments than opportunities for improvement. Although Laura meticulously identified every food quality and safety risk and hygiene lapse, the atmosphere remained adversarial, and little long-term change resulted from the audits.
One afternoon, after yet another tense audit meeting, Laura sat at the desk in the empty office, reflecting on the disconnect. She knew the importance of quality and food safety—it was critical not only to comply with regulations but also to protect consumers and uphold the company’s reputation. But what good was it if no one truly listened or acted on the audit findings?
Determined to make a change, Laura decided to transform the way her audits were approached. She realized that the key wasn’t just about finding mistakes; it was about building trust, fostering collaboration, and helping everyone understand that the goal of audits was not to penalize but to improve. The first step was to change how Laura engaged with the various teams in the company.
Building Bridges: A Conversation that Changed the Approach to Audits
The next day, instead of launching directly into the formal audit, Laura reached out to the head of production, Mike, over a cup of coffee. Rather than discussing compliance issues, Laura asked about the day-to-day challenges the production team was facing. Mike hesitated at first, but as the conversation became more personal, he opened up about some ongoing concerns—equipment breakdowns, miscommunication with suppliers, and pressures to meet production quotas. Laura listened carefully, not with the intent to find fault but to understand the bigger picture.
This informal approach led to a realization: many of the plant colleagues didn’t fully grasp the purpose of audits. They viewed the audits as checklists imposed from above, disconnected from the reality of their daily work. Laura began to see that the problem wasn’t just compliance—it was a lack of understanding and communication about why quality and food safety mattered.
Turning Audits into Action: Redefining the Audit Process
Laura decided to take a different approach in the next audit. Instead of showing up with a clipboard, she started her opening meeting by explaining the purpose of audits and how quality and food safety impacted not just the company but also the end consumers. Laura shared real-life examples of foodborne illness outbreaks and product recalls, emphasizing how a single mistake could jeopardize consumer health. Laura framed the audit as a collaborative process, where the goal was to prevent these risks and ensure that the company was delivering the highest quality product.
During the audit itself, Laura continued this new approach by explaining each finding in practical terms. Instead of simply listing hygiene noncompliances or noting improper food handling, Laura would take time to walk the team through the implications of each issue. Laura didn’t just stop at identifying the problem—she discussed potential solutions that made sense for the team. This made the process feel less like an external imposition and more like a partnership aimed at improving overall quality and food safety. Over time, Laura’s reports began to look different too. Gone were the dense, technical write-ups filled with technical compliance jargon. Instead, Laura focused on detailing the why and the potential impact of her findings.
As Laura’s approach shifted, so did the attitude of the plants. Colleagues who had once viewed audits with suspicion and frustration began to engage with her more openly. They started to see Laura not as someone who was there to point out failure but as someone who genuinely cared about helping them do their jobs better—and ensuring that the products they produced were safe for consumers and of the highest quality.
As Laura and the corporate audit team began to share these successes with senior management, the narrative around quality and food safety audits started to change. No longer seen as a dreaded task, audits became a valuable tool for continuous improvement. The company saw tangible benefits from audits: fewer disruptions, fewer incidents of contamination, and a smoother supply chain process overall.
From Enforcer to Leader: Laura’s Transformation into a Leader
In time, Laura’s efforts were noticed by the leadership team, and she was promoted to lead the entire quality and food safety function for the company. The once-dreaded auditor had become a trusted advisor, a partner who helped the company deliver high-quality, safe food products to its customers.
Laura had not only changed perceptions about audits within the company but had also proven that quality and food safety weren’t just about compliance, avoiding fines, or meeting standards and regulations—it was about creating value, ensuring consumer trust, and protecting the company’s reputation. Through a focus on collaboration, education, and proactive problem-solving, Laura had gone from being the “corporate police” to becoming a true champion of food safety and quality improvement.
By Marc Cwikowski
October 05, 2024
