May I answer with another question? Why wouldn't you notify them?
I can't answer for Selena, but I have had similar discussions in the past.
There are some that feel the provision of "advanced noticed" is providing an unfair advantage to the area being assessed - time to prepare people, hide "issues", make the place all pretty. It's comparable to how we like family and friends to (usually) give us a day or two of notice before they come over so that we can tidy up the house. But this is typically the reason I hear in favour of NOT providing advanced notification.
I do appreciate this perspective. An auditor who doesn't dig deep or ask the right questions or listen/observe may see only 'fluff' when advanced notice is given, instead of seeing how the area truly performs on a daily basis.
That being said, I usually counter the persepctive with the "list" supporting advanced notice:
- Ensures availability of the RIGHT personnel (this includes designates as needed)
- Helps to keep the stress down - people aren't distracted by wondering when they'll be hit and on what
- If 'advanced notice' provided all of this opportunity to prepare and plan on the part of the auditee, we wouldn't have findings and the reality is that, at least internally, we usually walk away with some pretty good stuff to work on
- Workload balance - Don't want to pop in for an audit on the day that customer happens to be in there or a safety inspection.
- Good manners
- Auditor safety - the time to clean-up helps to keep me safe (and let's face it, it's all about me)
- Facilitates the audit process by ensuring access to the right information that may be needed to support a statement made during the audit
- Food - If advance notice is not given, how will they know to order lunch for me?
- Potential to trigger corrections, corrective action, improvement - With sufficient notice, an area may realize that there are some activities to work on and they may start working on them before the assessment; advance notice is almost a nudge to improve
After presenting this list, I usually wait a moment and then ask "So, which one will give you/us/the organization more value? Notifying them or not notifying them?"
I will say this...I can be passive aggressive when it comes to making a point. There was one time where the decision was made to not provide advanced notice. One very vocal leader triumphed over the quiet majority. Fair enough. The decision was made by those higher up than I. I'll work with it. First area to be assessed? The area run by the very local leader.
First thing said to me when I showed up..."What do you mean you're doing an audit today? On what? Why didn't you let us know?"
From that point on, advance notice was the requirement.