Total Quality Management (TQM)

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a holistic approach that aims to create long-term quality by involving the whole organization. Quality is seen not only as an end result, but as a way of working, thinking and collaborating to continuously improve processes, products and services. TQM focuses not only on control at the end of the process, but on building quality into every step, from strategy and leadership to daily operational work. The goal is total quality, with all parts of the business working towards the same quality-oriented vision.

Key principles

TQM is based on a number of principles that together create a solid foundation for sustainable quality work. The approach is close to international standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, where the focus is on systematics, customer focus and continuous improvement.

1. customer orientation

Quality is defined by customer needs and expectations: all processes should ultimately create value for the customer. Their needs and expectations determine the level of quality.

2. process focus

Instead of only assessing the result, the processes that create the result are analyzed in order to improve the whole.

3. continuous improvement

TQM is based on the philosophy of always seeking better ways of working and developing improvements continuously - in large projects and in small steps, for example using Kaizen.

4. participation and competence

All employees should understand their contribution to quality and have the right conditions to influence.

5. Systematic leadership

Management is responsible for the direction, structure, resources and culture required to achieve total quality.

6. evidence-based decisions

Decisions should be based on data, not assumptions. Methodologies such as Six Sigma and process measurement play a major role in achieving this.

Benefits

• Higher and more consistent quality thanks to reduced variation and fewer errors
• Improved customer satisfaction
• Lower costs through fewer reworks
• Increased pride and ownership in the organization
• More stable and predictable processes
• Improved competitiveness

TQM as a quality system

As a quality system, TQM is about bringing together methods, processes and culture into a common way of working. It concerns how you structure your processes, how decisions are made and how you drive improvements forward. Three perspectives are central: a clear customer focus, a committed leadership that shows direction, and a culture where improvements are a natural part of everyday life.

In practice, working on total quality means that organizations use proven improvement methods such as Lean and structured problem-solving models such as the 8D method.

5S and TQM - A solid foundation for quality

A prerequisite for success in TQM is order and clarity in daily work. The 5S approach helps to create structure, reduce waste and make deviations easier to detect. It is a natural complement to TQM and a practical first step for many organizations. Check out our handy 5S checklist to get started quickly.

Why use TQM?

Total Quality Management makes quality work an integral part of daily work, rather than a separate project on the side. It can be about mapping and standardizing key processes, working in a structured way with deviations and root cause analysis, visualizing goals and results or gathering cross-functional teams around problems that need to be solved.

Once the way of working is established, quality becomes a shared concern. Processes are regularly monitored, improvements are documented and lessons learned are shared across the organization. In this way, the business develops step by step, without losing the link to business benefits and customer value.

7 tips to succeed with TQM

Total quality is built when culture, structure and tools work together. To create the best conditions, the following is recommended:

1. Set clear direction from management: Explain why quality work is important and give it sufficient priority and resources.
2. Involve the whole organization: Create participation through workshops, improvement work and root cause analysis so that commitment and ownership grow.
3. Standardize ways of working: Use clear process descriptions, procedures and visual aids to reduce variation.
4. Work data-driven: Make decisions based on measurements, key figures and facts.
5. Link TQM to business goals: Focus on improvements that provide the greatest business value, such as reducing complaints or improving delivery accuracy.
6. Use digital tools: Gather processes, deviations and follow-up in one place for increased participation, structure and traceability.
7. Define KPIs: By defining and working towards effective KPIs, you can ensure that you measure what you want to measure and create real value.