The intangible benefits of a Quality Management System
In recent years, we have heard in various forums about the benefits that a Quality Management System (QMS) brings to an organization. GDI Grupo Diamante Internacional is a relatively young organization; however, our growth has been exponential in recent years, and a fundamental part of this sustained success is largely due to the implementation of this system. It is generally mentioned that the benefits that a QMS brings to organizations are increased customer satisfaction, an improvement in the organization's processes, a reduction in internal or external quality costs, entry into new markets, and differentiation from the competition. All these benefits have been tangible for the organization, as we have been able to measure their impact over time and without a doubt, they are of great value to any company. However, have you ever wondered what the intangible benefits of a QMS are that a QMS brings to the organization internally? At GDI we have found that one of the greatest benefits is the sense of belonging that employees feel towards the processes where they interact. By implementing a QMS, our procedures or technical guides are developed in conjunction with our collaborators with the support of their leaders, thus documenting all the know-how and enabling continuous improvements. In addition, another intangible benefit is the Motivation and Collaboration that exists between the different work teams. This is reflected in the fulfillment or improvement of the different indicators that exist in the organization as the QMS has become established in the company. The sum of all these efforts is reflected in the achievement of our Quality Objectives annually. The last intangible benefit that the organization has detected is the Innovation and Creativity with which employees find the solution to the daily problems they face within their operation. This has allowed for improved job performance in all operational areas. Furthermore, to ensure that the innovation generated is adopted in our QMS and that we remain at the forefront of the market, we align everything to the requirements of the International Standard ISO 9001:2015 that governs our organization. The result of all this effort and teamwork is that we achieved the Recertification of our QMS in September 2020. At GDI we are always committed to our clients and other stakeholders, so many of our efforts are focused on continuous improvement. Constant innovation in our services and products makes us the best Business Partners for our clients and keeps us at the forefront of the market. Our Quality Management System supports us in our mission to offer image and security consulting services to our clients. We look forward to starting your project together! Roberto Martínez Calderón – Coordinator of Comprehensive Management
Strategic decisions adopted for a commitment to ecology
Environmental management refers to a company's policies and actions aimed at achieving maximum environmental protection in its activities and surrounding environment. It is based on three main pillars: Each company must analyze and identify the impact of its activities on the environment in order to design the tools for each of these pillars. Furthermore, these are intersected by government regulations and policies, which must be followed. CHARACTERISTICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT The implementation of an Environmental Management System is a process that begins with the company's strategic decision to commit to environmental responsibility. This process involves several stages and is characterized by a series of tools that enable the achievement of its objectives. Among the characteristics of environmental management, the following can be mentioned: ADVANTAGES AND CHALLENGES Advantages of Environmental Management Proper environmental management, both in society in general and through corporate social responsibility initiatives, has multiple benefits, such as: Just as there are advantages, there are also challenges to implementing this type of management, such as: Each company, by analyzing its activity, can define its own characteristics of environmental management and how to carry it out. Any type of implementation must have a good structure and support from the entire company. At GDI, we are aware of the impact of our activities on the environment. For this reason, we have implemented measures to correct processes that could harm the environment, for example, saving energy with LED lights, using a cutter that minimizes fabric scrap waste, and partnering with suppliers who use sustainable fabrics for garment production. We have implemented the sale of cloth face masks to reduce the use of disposable face masks, which can harm the environment; we also sell sustainable garments, which are made with sustainable fabrics or contain a percentage of PET. At GDI we care about the environment, making our processes more environmentally friendly. We are a company that looks out for the future and seeks growth without harming resources.
The impact of COVID-19 on employment
Employment is undergoing a revolution, now accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Technology was already threatening to transform the labor market, but today the fears and changes have already become a reality. The outlook, in terms of employment, is not encouraging, since the health crisis has also triggered an economic problem, which increased the unemployment figures during 2020. Between April and May of last year alone, 12,180,000 formal and informal jobs were lost, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) and the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). Despite everything, Mexicans seem to be among the workers who paint a positive picture of the future. A total of 47% of Mexican employees expressed optimism about the labor market in 2021. WEAK RECOVERY In 2021, employment began to show a somewhat timid recovery, with the creation of 47,000 jobs, in its monthly comparison of January. Companies today face the challenge of adapting to new needs. 66% of employers say there will be an improvement in flexible work options, and 65% will increase work-from-home options. The digitalization that industries are experiencing is part of the catalysts for generating a change in traditional remuneration and serving their consumers who carry out most of their activities from home. The main challenge for Latin American countries is the development and investment capacity to digitize their operations. According to data from the Indeed survey, the Education (50%), Human Resources (40%), and Information and Communications Technology (32%) sectors are the industries with the best perception for hiring in 2021, as most agree that hiring plans will be the same as before the pandemic. They are followed by Architecture, Engineering and Construction (20%), Arts and Culture (29%), Finance (20%), Manufacturing and Public Services (22%), Sales, Media and Marketing (23%). Healthcare will experience a slight decline, with 42% agreeing that they plan to hire at 75% of pre-Covid-19 levels. While Retail, Food Service and Leisure (29%), as well as Travel and Transport (33%), will be the least hiring, as most agree that they will only hire for key functions. In the new normal, companies will emphasize short-term plans rather than long-term ones, due to the changing and adaptive conditions that will persist during the pandemic, with contingency plans in place to deal with the unexpected. Having a secure and stable job will be one of the top priorities for 2021 among workers aged 16 to 54, says Indeed. To avoid the deterioration of formal employment, it will be necessary to understand that job recovery comes not only from generating new jobs, but from generating quality jobs. Furthermore, in the short term, the recovery will be linked to the progress of vaccination to overcome the pandemic, while in the long and medium term, investment will be crucial for a sustained improvement. Mexico is caught between hope and waiting to see a recovery in employment. The health crisis offers almost no certainty of recovery, but it does guarantee the arrival of irreversible changes. At GDI we adapt to changes and seek the best for our employees, providing the necessary tools to move forward despite the contingency. We are looking for the best option to continue working remotely, implementing more digital methods and certain tools to stay connected and thus be able to serve our clients efficiently and safely. Faced with challenges, we strive to move forward and support our employees.