Setting the standard for business improvement

The well known Investors in People Standard is a business improvement tool designed to advance an organisation’s performance through its people.  The Standard currently in its 17th year of operation has been achieved by over 1,000 small, medium and large organisations throughout Northern Ireland, and interest in the Standard continues to go from strength to strength.

Investors in People Standard

The Standard provides a flexible framework for business improvement, which any organisation can adapt to its own requirements, mirroring the business planning cycle of plan, do and review.  To become a recognised Investor in People, organisations must demonstrate that they have aligned the skills development of their people with the achievement of business objectives.  This makes the Standard a significant driver for economic development.

Relevance

The uptake of Investors in People in Northern Ireland is an encouraging sign for the local economy and should serve as an example to other employers not yet capitalising on the business benefits of working with the Standard. The importance of local businesses investing in their people is particularly relevant in this difficult economic climate.

Northern Ireland Skills Strategy

Investors in People also forms an integral part of the Northern Ireland Skills Strategy, which recognises that if local businesses are to compete successfully and public services are to meet citizens’ expectations, individuals together with employers, unions and Government will need to work effectively together to identify current and future skill needs, raise skill levels and promote lifelong learning.  Ensuring that individuals have the skills relevant to future employment opportunities is also one of the key drivers to achieving the Government’s Economic Vision for Northern Ireland.

The Department for Employment and Learning’s Investors in People Centre, under licence from Investors in People UK, is responsible for the promotion and quality assurance of the Standard in Northern Ireland.

Paul Bryans Manager - Investors in People NI

Manager of the Centre Paul Bryans explains: “The overall aim of the Centre, in line with the Skills Strategy, is to help increase the productivity and competitiveness of local businesses and raise the skills levels of the NI workforce.  The Centre’s contribution to this will be to treble the number of SME’s Recognised as Investors in People by 2015.”

Paul continued:  “To achieve business objectives e.g. reductions in wastage, staff turnover and absenteeism or increases in quality, turnover and profit, you need people with the knowledge, skills and ability to do what your business needs them to do. That's exactly what the Standard is all about - bottom-line business results. It's not about unnecessary processes, activities or paper, rather it's about what you need to do to maximise the impact of your people on your business.”

Paul emphasized how the Standard is benefiting businesses all over Northern Ireland:  “The benefits of working with the Standard will vary from one organisation to another. However, the development of your people and recognition of their achievements leads to improved motivation and in turn, higher morale, improved staff retention, reduced absenteeism and a readier acceptance of change. Skilled and knowledgeable people work better and harder improving productivity. They are far more likely to evaluate work practices, identifying ways of doing better business, reducing costs and wastage. And, with a customer focus, skilled and knowledgeable people will endeavour to ensure customer satisfaction, providing that all important advantage over competitors.

The future of the Investors in People Standard will be promoted in the context of Northern Ireland’s business demographic ie that we are a small business economy where 89% of businesses employ less 10 people.  Therefore, particular emphasis and focus will be placed on supporting small and medium sized enterprises.

The Department for Employment and Learning provides a range of support measures, including financial, to organisations wishing to work with the Standard.  For more information e-mail paul.bryans@delni.gov.uk external link or telephone 028 90 441 773

Key Facts

  • It is estimated that it costs an organisation £4,301 in fees, unproductive time, reduced customer service and new staff inductions every time an employee leaves (CIPD)
  • Organisational changes introduced by employers accredited with the Investors in People Standard increase profit by 7.16% of sales or £505 per employee per year, as opposed to 3.78% of sales and £197 per employee per year for non-accredited companies (IiPUK Impact Study)
  • Most organisations achieve accreditation with 12-18 months of starting to work with the Standard
  • The first stage in achieving the benefits associated with the Standard is to obtain an information pack.  An information pack can be requested by e-mailing ciara.newell@delni.gov.uk external link or by telephoning 028 90 441 799