The assessment by the auditor is the quick bit, and may take only a few weeks to complete. Although this may be nerve-wracking, it does not take a lot of your time. Most of the time will be spent preparing your business for the assessment, and how long this takes depends on how much you need to do and how quickly you can do it. Three months is a good period to target, but some businesses take 1 month and others take years. We will provide you with a Self-Assessment Checklist to help you identify what work you need to do to prepare.
What is the difference between the RCSA SDS and Quality certification?
In terms of what you need to do to prepare for certification - there is virtually no difference at all. Both standards require an effective management system, monitoring and review of performance, documentation of policies, procedures and templates, and both standards emphasise continuous improvement. The differences are: the RCSA SDS is written in a more user friendly manner and uses industry terminology; the RCSA SDS is very specific about requirements for employment screening, privacy etc. The RCSA developed the standard as a means to enhance the overall professionalism of the industry, and as such audits against the RCSA SDS will include suggestions for best practice and general performance improvement. It must also be pointed out, however, that the RCSA SDS is not as well known as the ISO suite of standards. Those businesses which are certified in both have indicated that the RCSA SDS provides greater business benefits.
Is the RCSA SDS certification easier to achieve than Quality?
No. In fact the RCSA SDS can be more difficult as it sets best practice for the industry, which requires more than having an effective management system in place. Examples of this include a rigorous approach to candidate verification, use of Service Agreements, strong emphasis on staff training including enrolment in the RCSA Accredited Professional Recruitment program and more.
Where is the RCSA standard registered?
The RCSA SDS is not registered with any other body. It is an industry standard, developed and owned by the peak representative body of the recruitment industry, the RCSA. The RCSA have considered registering the standard with Standards Australia and under the Professional Standards acts, however at this stage it has decided not proceed due to the very high costs of registration, the fact that such registration would make the standard publicly available rather than a benefit available only to RCSA Members, and that the standard is becoming recognised and valued by the general market as it is.
What is involved in the assessment?
The initial assessment is conducted over 2 stages - first is a review of documents followed by an onsite assessment including interviews and observation of practices. These stages may be days or weeks apart, depending on your level of preparedness and whether any issues have been identified in stage 1. The auditor then drafts a report which includes a recommendation. We review this report with you before finalising the report. If the recommendation is for approval it will be submitted to the RCSA Standards Council for consideration.
How long does certification last?
Three years. This is the period set for most certifications, including Quality and OHS certifications. During this period a number of surveillance audits must be held. At the end of the three year "triennial" another assessment is held for a further three year certification.
Why do surveillance audits?
Surveillance audits are reviews of a part of the management system; whereas assessments review the entire management system. Surveillance audits monitor ongoing compliance with the standard. They include a review of certain key parts of the standard and of any issues raised in previous audits. As a partial review they generally take less time than an assessment, and are generally conducted onsite. The frequency of surveillance audits depends on business size, level of compliance, degree of business change, number of sites and various other factors.
What happens once we get certified?
You will receive a certificate and access to the certification logos, both of which you can use in your marketing materials and other documentation. Your certification will be included in both the online and paper version of the RCSA Member Directory, as well as on the Certification Register on the Fathom website. Fathom will also provide you a Certification Kit which includes suggestions on how you can promote your achievement to the market.
We have a tender coming up and can't get certified in time - what can we do?
Fathom can provide you with a Letter of Undertaking (LOU) which can be submitted with your tender documents. The LOU advises that you have commenced working towards your certification. This provides you the time you may need to achieve your certification.
We aren't RCSA members - can we still become certified?
Although full certification is only available to RCSA Members, there have been situations where the RCSA has permitted a variation on certification to non-Members. The non-Member can be recognised for the fact they have achieved all the requirements for certification, but may not be entitled to use the RCSA certification logos. Please contact Fathom or the RCSA if you wish to explore this further.
Are Fathom accredited with JAS-ANZ?
Auditing businesses may be accredited with JAS-ANZ; auditors (the individuals) must reach stated qualifications and experience levels in order to conduct audits. Fathom auditors have obtained the necessary qualification and experience levels, and are subject to regular "witness" audits to monitor our competency and compliance with JAS-ANZ requirements. Fathom is not an accredited auditing business, but we work closely with one such business, QCSE, when we conduct Quality and OHS audits. Under the authority of QCSE we conduct audits, submit reports, and our Quality and OHS clients can be included on the JAS-ANZ register of Certified Organisations.
We are only a small business - does this work for us?
The RCSA SDS standard and auditing program has been specifically designed to accommodate small businesses. The greatest difference for a small business is that less documentation (policies and procedures) is required. Fathom can provide guidelines on this. Fathom also structure the audit schedule to include desk top audits, which are "mini" surveillance audits. These can be conducted instead of onsite audits.
