Benefits of EFQM and External Recognition

For many organisations, there comes a moment in time when they see the need to gain an external perspective. Are they as good as they think?

Benefits of External Recognition

Some organisations are very critical of themselves and others fail to see their faults or weaknesses. All of them will want to know how others perceive them. Are they already an outstanding performer? Or are they well on the way to becoming outstanding?

When organisation reach this stage, they may decide to participate in EFQM’s Recognition scheme. They want external validation for their efforts. They also want feedback on their next steps.

EFQM Levels of Recognition

EFQM offers different levels of recognition dependent on the maturity of the applicant organisation seeking recognition. If you are interested to know more about the different levels, you can read about EFQM’s Recognition scheme by clicking on the link.

There is benefit for three different stakeholders groups when an organisation decides to apply for the EFQM external recognition:

Benefits For the Recognition Applicant

• The opportunity to receive objective feedback from a group of external EFQM Assessors on its strengths & opportunities for improvement.
• Help from an external source to understand the gaps and receive guidance on possible next steps.
• Validation of the hard work that has been put into making the organisation successful. This is motivating for employees and leaders in the organisation. It energises them to make further progress.
• The opportunity to show the wider community that you are committed to being an outstanding organisation.

Benefits For the External EFQM Assessors

• The opportunity to practise their assessment skills in an unfamiliar setting. This helps to develop their understanding of what makes an organisation outstanding, regardless of its size or sector.
• To witness good practices in action. Many EFQM Assessors say the main benefit for them is gaining ideas that they can take back to their own organisations.
• To experience being part of a diverse teams of EFQM Assessors, all experienced managers from different countries and cultures. They all have expertise in different fields. They inspire, challenge and learn from each other during an assessment.

Benefits for EFQM

• EFQM encourages its community to share good practices and learn from each other. Many of the good practices identified during external assessments are added, with the permission of the applicant, to the EFQM KnowledgeBase for the use of the EFQM community.
• EFQM can offer to its members the opportunity for personal development through assessing a completely different organisation.

Your task

What might be the benefits for your organisation from entering for an external recognition process?

What might be the benefits for your own professional development to train to become an EFQM assessor?