An examination of the motivations and experiences of assessors in excellence/quality awards

When considering the operation and value of the various excellence or quality awards, the usual focus of interest is their impact on the organisations that apply. However, a vital component of all award schemes is the Assessor Team. It is evident that little research effort has been focused on the role played by this key group of specialists. Furthermore, and possibly more importantly, the reasons that cause people to volunteer their time to support the Award processes have not been researched. These matters are of concern because of the critical role of assessors in the majority of Award processes; for without assessors, there can be no Award! Therefore, their needs and motivations must be understood in order to ensure a continuing supply of able and enthusiastic assessors. This paper will explore the authors' experiences as assessors and will endeavour to develop an understanding of the assessors' position within the award process and to establish any benefits that they may gain from their involvement. It is hoped that the presentation of the paper will generate debate that will add richness to these observations and help to shape such research. A final point that is explored relates to the recruitment and selection of assessors, particularly in relation to the establishment of new awards. Thus the paper will consider how suitable assessors can be found in an environment where self assessment and formal approaches to business improvement are little used and the benefits of applying for an award are not well understood, as well as how experienced assessors can be retained.