A discussion in another thread brought to mind what I consider an interesting question: How many quality personnel does your company employ? I realize that could be a pretty open-ended question depending on how your organization defines quality personnel (line inspectors, ever employee, etc) so I guess I'd like to start by restricting answers to the number of people dedicated to ensuring quality while not specifically performing any value added activity. Does that make sense?

Also, how many employees does your organization employ overall? Any idea how this ration compares to 10/20/30 years ago?

We have 3 people in the Quality Department.
Our total employment is about 70.

James

I guess I'd like to start by restricting answers to the number of people dedicated to ensuring quality while not specifically performing any value added activity. Er... The definition of "value added" varies, but I have a feeling none of us would be here if we added no value? I will answer in terms of not being in the "production hands-on" category.

Anyway: We are eight people in the Quality/Environment dep (including three people in the final inspection/lab, and we also do some jobs that are not linked to the traditional QA role. I would say three people directly involved in QA.

There is also the fact that our QA dep. used to be quite big, before we "outsourced" most of our functions to the respective process owners years ago, and retained only the "staff functions". This makes it a bit iffy to come up with a definitive count, but a rough estimate would be five to seven people directly involved in QA (not counting inspectors). With 380 people working here, I would say that we end up with a 1/65 ratio, but as I've said it's a matter of definition.

Counting all inspectors would for instance give us a 1/12 ratio...

/Claes

Er... The definition of "value added" varies, but I have a feeling none of us would be here if we added no value? I will answer in terms of not being in the "production hands-on" category.

Anyway: We are eight people in the Quality/Environment dep (including three people in the final inspection/lab, and we also do some jobs that are not linked to the traditional QA role. I would say three people directly involved in QA.

There is also the fact that our QA dep. used to be quite big, before we "outsourced" most of our functions to the respective process owners years ago, and retained only the "staff functions". This makes it a bit iffy to come up with a definitive count, but a rough estimate would be five to seven people directly involved in QA (not counting inspectors). With 380 people working here, I would say that we end up with a 1/65 ratio, but as I've said it's a matter of definition.

Counting all inspectors would for instance give us a 1/12 ratio...

/Claes
I like the concept of "outsourcing" activity and responsibility of many quality functions to the production folks who "own" the processes involved. We did this in a high-tech machining outfit. The remaining quality personnel became

designers of inspection processes in conjunction with cross-functional team (often including end customer as well as production folk) when designing the Control Plan for a particular product
trainers of all personnel on proper use and care of inspection instruments
"court of last resort" on sticky quality questions
supplier of a standing member of the Material Review Board
liaison with outside customers on questions of quality:topic: My question, Claes, is: "WHO initiated the idea in your organization? What was the trigger to get folks thinking of changing from the deadly routine of "Kwality Kops" to integrating quality procedures with the process owners?"

In our case, it was a realization that Deming was right, "prevention is better than detection." We (top management) decided we wanted to do the right thing the first time, every time. We just simply eliminated the "gotcha" aspect of quality inspection systems and enlisted everyone's help in looking for solutions, not scapegoats.

In an electronics plant with 84 employees we have 2 full-time QA personnel (myself and an incoming inspector). All other inspection (visual and electrical) is accomplished by production personnel.

Data is captured by the incoming inspector and the production personnel at various points on the floor, is compiled for analysis by myself, and analyzed by myself, the process engineers, and the production supervisors.

:topic: My question, Claes, is: "WHO initiated the idea in your organization? What was the trigger to get folks thinking of changing from the deadly routine of "Kwality Kops" to integrating quality procedures with the process owners?"Good question. I opened a new thread on that subject: Outsorcing quality functions within the company (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=14288)

/Claes

How many quality personnel does your company employ? Answer: ALL OF THEM.

people dedicated to ensuring quality while not specifically performing any value added activity Hey, I resemble that remark. Like Claes says. I have never, ever liked the term "non-value added" as applied to personnel. If they ain't, they should be let go.

This is one of those 'spinning' questions, where each time you go around it, you become dizzier. Each type of business requires a different ratio, and each employee does a certain percentage of traditionally quality duties. Some do those things 100% (e.g., Quality Manager).

So, where are we going with this? :)

In our company we have the following Quality Personnel:-

Quality Manager
Quality Team Leader
Quality Technical Officer
Quality Administrative Assistant
1 Quality Line Technician per shift (currently we work 24/5 = 3 shifts)
20hours pw Micro person
All production personal have checklists and checks that they must perform for the duration of their shift

we employ approx 120-130 employees and we manufacture softdrinks
Does this help any?
JJ

I think I am overworked
One - just me....

last time I checked around 950 employees scattered across IN, KY, OH, MI.

I am the MR, Internal Auditor, Director or Quality, write the policy, write the procedures, do alot of the training. etc etc etc.

I want an assistant.

done whining!!:mad:

Hi
Yes you would be overworked with the number of employees and just yourself in Quality. You have obviously passed a lot of responsibility on to the operators? You must be doing a fantastic job!!!
JJ
:eek:

The one and only. I am the Quality Manager and Quality Dept. Wrote most of the manual, any instruction not machine specific, and consolidated all the forms into one book.

Pretty much got us ISO-17025/Guide 25 by myself.....

Jerry :frust:
PS- We have about 9 employees though, including boss and wife.

I just counted 85 management QA personnel in the phone directory for this site. That does not include the QC side of the quality group, which I would guess has more than 150 employees. It also does not include the union employees. Inspection is a manufacturing function here, so inspectors are left out, also. We have approximately 1700 employees here, overall.

The QA department is broken up into a number of specialized groups covering specific areas, such as operations, validations, facilities, and investigations. My specific duties include DEA compliance, oversite of water systems (potable and purified), and SOP review and approval.

It really looks like overkill when you see it written down, but it pays off in the end. We've never had a product recall, and only a couple of minor 483s (non-conformances for you ISO types) in the last 40+ years.

We have 1 Quality Manager and 3 Quality System Corporate Auditors
8 Auditors at the other sites and a QA department not affiliated to the QS department of about 65. 18000K employess worldwide. The problem with being a systems auditor is I get little exposure to Measurement Systems Analysis, SPC, and quality mathematics in general. My knowledge is more business process. I have had in experience and classes on statistical process control and six sigma, but had to apply them only years back when I was in product quality and hence lost my skill in those disciplines. Bigger is not better when it comes to the issue of staying competant in all of the quality disciplines and being in a large company. I couldn't tell you how to calculate the difference between cp and cpk, how and when they are used although at one time in the past I could. So when I check on process capability I just see if the program has been setup, I cannot valid the formulae nor check very hard for suitability, but I don't really want to anyway. My confession is done for the day, I feel better already. So I guess my point is quantative research of the ratio of quality personnel to other types of company personnel isn't a very good indicator of management committment or resource allocation, as effectivity is not a factor.:magic:

We have approximately 350 employees working 24/7 (4 work crews on continental schedule) and have a quality staff as follows:

1 QA inspector per crew X 2 plants
1 QA supervisor per plant
1 QA engineer
2 QA managers (one internal focus / one external focus)
1 gage tech
1 programmer
3 lab techs

Hi there!

In the company i work for there are between 1100-1200 people.
I am QA manager and .... my department has only ME!

I am responsible (in Food Safety terms / Food Law / Food Quality) for 47 restaurants!

I feel good :magic:

vasilist