In the lively world of food production, an auditor is often seen as a gatekeeper who comes in to ensure that procedures are followed, and standards are met. Little do they realize that sometimes their actions ripple far beyond the checklists and forms.
This is the story of John, an auditor who quietly transformed mindsets while thinking he was doing his job. John had been in the audit profession for over a decade, specializing in quality and food safety. He was a man of precision, trained to detect the tiniest errors in manufacturing plants, from paperwork discrepancies to improper sanitation practices. His job was straightforward: audit and report. He wasn’t one to linger on the human element of the process. After all, an audit was about systems and structures, not people—or so he thought.
Another audit, another day, another plant.
This audit was conducted at a large manufacturing plant that produces various meat-based products. The plant was impressive in its scale—long conveyor belts, workers in hairnets and gloves moving swiftly, and the buzz of machinery that never seemed to rest. For John, it was another day, another plant. He had seen dozens like it and approached this audit with the same no-nonsense attitude as always.
John’s visits usually caused a burst of activity. Employees would scramble to ensure everything was spotless and procedures followed. Yet, no one wanted to interact with him beyond the required questions. John was the “auditor”—a figure of authority who came in, found mistakes and left.
As he began his audit, John walked down the aisles of machinery, clipboard in hand, ticking off his observations. He noted the surfaces’ cleanliness, the ingredients’ proper labeling, and the temperatures in the cold storage units. All was in order, for the most part. But as he dug deeper, as he always did, he began to notice inconsistencies.
The first issue was with the hygiene protocols in the staff changing rooms. The washing stations needed to be more sufficient for the number of workers. This, to John, was more than just a minor oversight—it was a potential risk to food safety. He marked it down and moved on. Then he noticed some workers weren’t adhering strictly to the personal protective equipment (PPE) policies. A hairnet out of place here, gloves not changed frequently enough there. These were seemingly minor errors, but in the world of food safety, small things could cause big problems.
As the day progressed, John methodically worked through his audit, keeping his professionalism, almost detached. What he didn’t notice, however, was how the plant workers observed him. To them, John was a silent figure of discipline. They were wary, some even nervous, knowing his report could lead to significant impact and changes. But they also respected his attention to detail, something they hadn’t often encountered in their daily routines.
Shifting the plant’s culture without realizing it.
In the break room, a group of workers discussed his presence. “I’ve never seen anyone so thorough,” said Lucie, one of the line supervisors. “He doesn’t just check boxes—he actually looks like he cares about doing things right.” “I thought he was just here to find mistakes and make our lives harder,” another worker added. The workers began seeing his audit as more than a routine check-up. His attention to detail highlighted areas that had long been ignored or omitted. Though he never intended to be a teacher, John started shifting the plant’s culture without realizing it.
Back on the floor, John was reviewing the plant’s food safety protocols when he noticed that cleaning the meat grinders could have been more thorough. It wasn’t a glaring problem, but over time, it could lead to cross-contamination—a significant issue in a facility handling meat products. When John brought this up to the plant manager, the man looked concerned. “We’ve been doing it this way for years,” the manager said, almost defensively. We’ve never had an issue.”
“That may be true,” John responded, calm but firm. “But one incident is all it takes to damage your products and reputation. And more importantly, it’s a risk to the health of your consumers.” It wasn’t an accusatory statement but rather a reminder of their shared responsibility. The manager nodded thoughtfully.
The day of the audit came to an end. John packed his notes, thanked the plant team for cooperation, and left. It had been a routine audit for him. There were a few issues here, but some recommendations there. He would write his report, send it in, and move on to the next plant on his list.
Something changed inside the manufacturing plant.
A few weeks after the audit, the plant underwent significant changes. They installed more washing stations for the employees, revised their PPE protocols, and adopted a more rigorous cleaning procedure for their equipment. These changes were noticed by the workers. In fact, many of them began to take more pride in their work, understanding now how crucial their roles were in ensuring the safety of the food they produced.
The line supervisor, Lucie, gathered her team for a short afternoon meeting. She smiled as she addressed them. “You know, ever since the auditor came, I’ve been thinking about how we do things around here,” she said. “It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind and forget why we’re doing this. We’re feeding people—families, kids. What we do matters.”
Her words resonated with the workers, many of whom had never considered beyond their immediate tasks. But now they saw the bigger picture. Months passed, and the plant’s food safety record improved significantly. Employee morale rose as they took ownership of the changes. They didn’t see the auditor as just someone who pointed out flaws—they saw him as someone who had quietly empowered them to do better.
As for John, he just learned about the impact he had made. For him, it was simply another audit in a long line. He continued his work, moving from plant to plant, checking off his lists, and writing his reports. But his attention to detail and insistence on doing things right in that one manufacturing plant left a lasting legacy.
Sometimes, the most significant impact we have on others is the one we never see.
John, the auditor, had no idea that his meticulous work was more than just enforcing standards—it was educating, inspiring, and transforming mindsets. And in that, he was more than just an auditor—he was a silent teacher.
By Marc Cwikowski
October 22, 2024
