Get the new year off to a great start with this self-audit checklist
Business owners, are you in the habit of taking stock at the end of each year?
It’s probably no surprise that we are fans of self-assessment, but this month we are taking a moment to further explain the “why” and “how”. Read our tips for a simple but effective audit that will stand you in good stead for the year to come.
Why should I be self-assessing at the end of the year?
No matter where your self-assessment or audit lies on the formal to casual scale, taking stock will be beneficial. This includes making practical adjustments that will make operations smoother as well as a more reflective assessment of overall successes, obstacles, and opportunities.
The benefits of self-assessment are broadly applicable—in fact, this study shows that self-assessment had a positive effect on performance for primary school students. And why the end of the year? With shutdowns happening over Christmas and the mental line in the sand that is the 31st of December, it’s a logical time to look back on the year that was. However, self-assessment can happen at any time. It’s a continuous process of improvement!
How do I conduct an insightful and effective self-assessment/audit?
There’s no one specific method of self-assessing. This is our flexible list of things you should be casting an eye over at the end of the year. We recommend conducting your reviews before the break while everything is fresh in your mind. This also means you can start the new year with an organised mind and fresh slate!
- Take general stock of the year that was. What went well? What unequivocally did not go well? What could have made a difference? Just having these things in mind can equip you to make different and better decisions going forward.
- Seek end-of-year feedback from your team! They are the ones with the boots on the ground and will have valuable insights. We’re discussing this in further depth on the blog soon, so stay tuned.
- Check expiry dates of insurances/prequals/certificates/registrations and have these in mind (and on your calendar!) as you enter the new year.
- Take stock of where you’re at with routine tasks such as emergency drills (every 6 months), maintenance/servicing or calibrations, facilities or equipment inspections (test and tag? Fire/First Aid equipment? Alarm testing? PPE checks?), and reporting and reviewing trends (incident reporting, injury stats, reviews/complaints received, new hires, ET matters). Determine what you need to prioritise after the break.
- Cast an eye over your documents—you know, the important ones! If there’s a lot of reviewing or updating to do, we suggest planning a schedule of document review for the new year, so you can tackle them one at a time. And of course, seek expert help if you need it. Commonly, these documents will include:
- Policies, particularly those of the Health and Safety variety. We recommend the HSEQ framework (incorporates environmental and quality) for a holistic analysis of your governance practices.
- Risk registers. Don’t over think this—it’s just a look at what could go wrong, how you can avoid it, and how much residual risk remains once your controls are in place.
- Accident & Incident registers/CI (Continuous Improvement) registers. Are incidents and injuries recorded? Are they closed out?
- Documents outlining corrective actions or meeting actions. If you said you would do something to prevent further incident/injury, is it done?
- Noticeboards and signage. It’s crucial that these are accurate and up-to-date. Before the end of year take off any old notices, especially old documents or forms that might be lurking about in shared areas.
- Personnel files, both electronic and paper, as applicable. This should include updating emergency contacts. Have employees moved? Is their emergency contact person the same?
When reviewing documents, you should be checking that:
- All information is current.
- Nothing is missing. This could include copies of driver’s licences, signatures, returned forms, etc.
- Anything that’s no longer applicable or relevant is closed off, and anything that’s a work in progress remains top of mind for completion.
- It’s dated with the review date so it can be identified as the current version (try using v1.0 [initial document], 1.1 [minor change], 2.0 [major change] if you want extra points).
Equip yourself for a great start in the new year with a simple but effective self-audit! Knowing where you stand is so important for business success, and the end of the year is a natural time to get things in order and reflect on what’s necessary to improve and grow.