EFQM – A Multi Dimensional Approach To Quality

The European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) founded in 1989, is a non-profit organization based in Brussels, Belgium.  The purpose of the foundation is to promote quality management in European businesses and public sector organizations. One of the key tools developed by the EFQM is the EFQM Excellence Model. This provides a framework for organizations to assess their performance and identify areas for improvement.

The EFQM Excellence Model is a holistic approach to quality management. It covers all aspects of an organization’s operations, from its leadership and strategy to its processes and results. Balancing the needs and expectations of a range of stakeholders is the key principle of EFQM. These stakeholders include customers, employees, suppliers, and society at large.

The model is made up of nine criteria. These are grouped into five categories: leadership, strategy, people, partnerships and resources, and processes, products, and services. Let’s take a closer look at each of these categories and the criteria that fall under them.

Leadership

Leadership: The leadership category covers the organization’s leadership and governance. It includes its vision, values, and culture. The criteria in this category are:

1. Leadership: How the organization’s leaders develop and promote a shared vision and values. How they inspire and engage people to achieve this vision.
2. Policy and strategy: How the organization’s strategy is developed and aligned with its mission and vision. How it is communicated to all stakeholders.
3. People: How the organization’s leaders develop and manage its human resources. How they create a culture of learning and continuous improvement.

Strategy

Strategy: The strategy category covers how the organization develops and implements its strategy. It assesses how it monitors and adapts to changes in its environment. The criteria in this category are:

4. Processes: How the organization designs and manages its processes to ensure that they are efficient and effective. How they deliver value to customers and other stakeholders.
5. Customer: How the organization identifies and understands the needs and expectations of its customers. How it designs and delivers products and services that meet those needs.
6. Results: How the organization measures and monitors its performance. How it uses this information to improve its processes, products, and services.

People

People: The people category covers how the organization manages its human resources. How it creates a culture of learning and continuous improvement. The criteria in this category are:

7. People: How the organization recruits, develops and manages its people. How it creates a culture of learning and continuous improvement.

Partnerships and Resources

Partnerships and Resources: The partnerships and resources category covers how the organization manages its partnerships and resources. This includes its suppliers, partners, and other stakeholders. The criteria in this category are:

8. Partnerships and resources: How the organization manages its relationships with suppliers, partners, and other stakeholders, and how it manages its physical, financial, and information resources.

Processes, Products and Services

Processes, Products, and Services: The processes, products, and services category covers how the organization designs, manages, and improves its processes, products, and services. The criteria in this category are:

9. Processes, products, and services: How the organization designs, manages, and improves its processes, products, and services to meet the needs and expectations of its customers and other stakeholders.

Using the Model

Challenges of EFQM

The EFQM Excellence Model is really helpful, but there are some tough parts to think about. One big challenge is that it can take a lot of time and resources to use it. This can be tricky for smaller organizations or those with limited resources.

Also, the model is really complicated, which can make it hard for organizations to understand and use. The EFQM has training and support materials to help, but it still takes a lot of effort, especially for those who are new to quality management.

But even with these challenges, lots of organizations still use the EFQM Excellence Model for quality management. Its focus on making everyone happy and doing a good job make it a valuable tool for organizations that want to do well in today’s fast-changing business world.

In Conclusion

The EFQM Excellence Model is a useful tool for organizations to manage quality. It helps to evaluate how an organization is doing and find ways to improve. By looking at all aspects of an organization’s work, the model helps to make sure everyone is happy, including customers, workers, suppliers, and society. Although it might be tricky to use, the EFQM gives lots of help and training to make it easier. In general, the EFQM Excellence Model is great for any organization that wants to be really good at managing quality.