Ask questions that can be answered, ask them to the right people, and remember to keep the atmosphere relaxed. That is how to conduct a good audit – and get the most information.
"If one is truly to succeed in leading a person to a specific place, one must first and foremost take care to find him where he is and begin there".
This is how Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard described the secret of all helping – but he could just as well have said it about auditing.
It is about meeting the employees on their own terms. That way, you get the most information:
- Be relevant
Choose topics that match the employee’s role in the organisation, and ask questions they are able to answer. For example, do not ask a warehouse worker about the company’s strategy – that is a question for management. But you can ask questions that the interviewee should reasonably be able to answer. - Qualify the dialogue
Make sure you understand the employees’ tasks before the interview, even if you have many interviews to conduct. It improves the quality of the dialogue. - Ask open questions
Talk your way through the processes with open questions such as "how do you carry out your task?", "what do you do next?', etc. - Summarise
Only use yes/no questions to summarise and close the conversation, for example: “Do we agree that you have told me this and that?” - Give feedback
Give feedback to the interviewee straight away on whether a given process is being carried out correctly or incorrectly. You know the answer if you have prepared properly. - Create a good atmosphere
Start and end the interview in a relaxed and friendly way. Small talk creates a good atmosphere and makes the situation less formal. It is a conversation, not an interrogation. If, for example, there is a photo on the desk of the employee on a motorcycle, you can talk briefly about motorcycles. The more relaxed the interview situation is, the more you will learn.
