06 November

Businesses from a range of sectors across Wales gathered at the Assembly Building today to celebrate the success of the Investors in People (IiP) Standard and to be presented with their recognition plaques.

Businesses from a range of sectors across Wales gathered at the Assembly Building today to celebrate the success of the Investors in People (IiP) Standard and to be presented with their recognition plaques.

To celebrate the start of IiP week (6-12 November), Minister for Education Lifelong Learning and Skills Jane Davidson was joined by recent and long standing achievers and partner organisations such as FSB, Amicus and IiP UK, to celebrate the fact that the standard is almost fifteen years old.

Investors in People is the UK standard which links the development of people to a firm's business objectives. It puts emphasis on managing people well to improve performance. Recent changes to the Standard have meant a far closer alignment to a typical business planning cycle (Plan, Do, Review) and a more business focussed approach to continuous improvement.

Research at a national level has consistently shown that Investors in People companies are more successful on the whole than organisations that do not work to the Standard.

Independent all Wales research through York Consulting confirmed the benefits of IiP with 57% of respondents saying that the main benefit of achieving the standard was increased staff motivation, while 45% cited an improvement in the level of staff satisfaction.

The research also revealed the key benefits of continuing to be recognised under the IiP standard, such as increased profile and reputation of the business, a growing appreciation of the need to monitor and review business processes and enhanced staff motivation.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister said: "Over the last fifteen years more and more organisations are recognising the benefits of IiP and we've seen increasing numbers achieving the standard through the years. Independent research has also confirmed what we've long known, IiP works."

"Since the National Assembly for Wales was established, we have wholeheartedly supported the Standard and our package to support organisations to work towards and with the Standard is second to none. Through our Workforce Development Programme, we will continue to promote the Standard to new organisations and through our network of advisors we will work with them to achieve the Standard.

"For those organisations already recognised we have recently enhanced our support for maintaining that recognition and have introduced a new series of Clubs and IiP facilitator training courses. We firmly believe in IiP and the benefits it brings to organisations, to the people who work in them, and of course to the Welsh economy and education service."

Businesses attending the event also heard the success story of Business Systems Services (UK) Ltd who successfully retained the standard in February 2005. BSS started off as a company of three in a house in Gowerton and are now working in a purpose-built office with twenty staff. The company is a Microsoft Certified Partner and develops bespoke software solutions for a wide range of companies, including a recent major project for Texaco.

Speaking about the benefits of IiP, Teifion Davies, Managing Director of Business Systems Services (UK) Ltd said: "IiP has exceeded all our expectations since we were first recognised back in February 2003 and has allowed us to deliver a competitive advantage year on year. We've always understood the importance of investing in our staff but through the IiP framework we now have procedures and good practice embedded within the company helping staff feel valued and motivated. I would definitely encourage businesses to work towards and with the Standard."

For further information about Investors in People, call 0845 60 661 60 or visit www.skillspeoplesuccess.com.

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