ISO 9001 clause 7.2: demonstrate competence beyond attendance

What clause 7.2 requires in practice

Clause 7.2 has four elements. The organisation determines the competence needed by people doing work under its control that affects the performance of the QMS. It makes sure those people are competent, judged on appropriate education, training or experience. Where applicable, it takes action to gain the competence required, and evaluates whether the action worked. Finally, appropriate documented information must be available as evidence of competence.

Two points stand out. The scope is anyone doing work under the organisation's control, which can include temporary staff and contractors, not only employees. And competence is not the same as attendance: a note lists training, mentoring, reassignment, hiring and contracting as possible actions, but the evaluation step asks whether the action achieved competence.

Education, training and experience are alternatives or combinations, so no single qualification is mandated. The clause does not call for a training matrix. The output is people shown to be capable of the work they do.

Define competence around the task

Identify the knowledge and skills needed for the responsibility. A reviewer of customer requirements may need to recognise conflicts and know when to obtain technical input. A person interpreting inspection results may need competence in the relevant method and acceptance basis. Broad job descriptions can miss these task-specific needs.

Consider changes in responsibilities, products or technology. Someone competent in an earlier process may need additional capability for a changed task. The assessment should be proportionate, with appropriate technical or professional requirements taken into account where they apply.

Why competence beyond attendance matters to the business

A signed attendance sheet proves only that someone was in the room. Customers care whether the person handling their order, their data or their product can do the job properly. Where competence is determined, checked and developed, errors fall, supervision becomes lighter, and promotions and assignments rest on evidence instead of habit. The same discipline protects the organisation when work is outsourced or temporary staff are used. For leadership, a clear view of competence is also a planning tool, because it shows where skills are thin before a new contract or technology exposes the gap.

How to implement clause 7.2

Start with what the work needs, then check people against it, and judge training by its result. One way Sterling's teams do this is to confirm competence through observation of real work, because an assessment against actual tasks is more reliable than a certificate alone. The clause requires evidence of competence, but a training matrix is one method and not a requirement, and the depth of records should match the importance of the role.

1. For each role or task that affects QMS performance, describe the knowledge, skills and experience needed.
2. Compare each person's education, training and experience with that description, including contractors and temporary staff.
3. Decide how competence is to be confirmed, for example by observation, a work sample or a supervisor assessment.
4. Where gaps exist, choose the action: training, mentoring, reassignment, hiring or contracting.
5. After the action, check whether competence was achieved and whether work results changed.
6. Keep appropriate records, proportionate to the importance of the role.
7. Review requirements when processes, tools or customer needs change.

Choose development actions that fit the gap

Illustrative BPO example: handling complex exceptions

Illustrative construction example: reviewing project information

A hypothetical contractor assigns an employee to check whether incoming installation information matches the approved project requirements. The employee has substantial site experience but has not previously performed that review role. Management does not assume experience in one activity establishes competence for another.

A suitable reviewer explains the relevant criteria and supervises representative reviews. The organisation assesses whether the employee identifies important differences and escalates matters outside the assigned authority. Evidence records the capability demonstrated and any continuing support. This is a QMS competence example, not authorisation to perform regulated design or safety-critical work without the qualifications and controls that may separately apply.

Keep evidence meaningful and current

Avoid treating all errors as training needs

A quality failure may involve unclear instructions, insufficient resources, unsuitable systems or conflicting targets. Investigate the situation before prescribing retraining. Repeating the same course will not necessarily resolve a process design problem, and it can conceal the management action needed.

Common weaknesses include vague competence criteria, attendance records marked as proof of competence and development actions closed without evaluation. Another is assuming contractors arrive competent for every organisation-specific task. Clarify the capability needed and how the organisation obtains appropriate confidence in it.

Read this alongside people and capacity and awareness. Sufficient staffing, competence and awareness are complementary requirements with different purposes.