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Investors in People launch revised standard

Investors in People have launched a new version of its business improvement tool, the Investors in People Standard, which aims to help organisations enhance their performance by developing their people. Investors in People say the updated Standard places new emphasis on employee involvement and on maximising their potential and is designed to ensure it continues to offer relevant support to employers of all sectors and sizes.

Launched last week by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Charles Clarke, the revised Standard follows a year-long consultation and development process involving employers, business advisers and representative bodies, including the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI), Trades Union Congress (TUC), Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and the Disability Rights Commission (DRC).

The changes introduced have been piloted by over 90 employers, including Barclays Business Banking Contact Centre, Catherine Johnstone Recruitment and Hanslope Combined School.

Launching the revised Standard, Charles Clarke said, "Over 37,000 organisations across the UK have already achieved the Investors in People Standard and continue to reap the benefits of the development of their people. The revised Standard shows that Investors in People will continue to provide crucial advice and recognition for employers across the country, whatever their size or sector."

The structure of the Standard has been simplified and includes changes that focus on the role managers have in the development of employees. It also encourages organisations to involve employees in decision-making. According to Investors in People, such changes are designed to ensure the Standard remains a relevant, practical and flexible tool to support employers seeking to plan, implement and evaluate their business strategies in a highly competitive and rapidly changing environment.

"Organisations don't stand still, so neither should the Standard," said Ruth Spellman, Chief Executive of Investors in People. "This latest review ensures that it recognises the issues and opportunities businesses are facing today and can help them respond to these challenges. We know from recent research that the Standard already helps recognised employers make changes twice as profitably as other organisations - the updated version will further strengthen the Standard's role as a business improvement tool."

Commenting on the changes, Digby Jones, CBI Director General, said, "Investors in People has already helped many thousands of businesses to enhance their performance through increasing the skills base of their employees and the quality of the management needed to get the best out of them. This revision should ensure the Standard keeps pace with the changing business environment and helps even more employers and individuals to fulfil their potential."

Geoff Armstrong, CIPD Director General, said, "Investors in People has shown its worth in helping organisations of all sizes and in all sectors to link their people and their business strategies, leading to higher performance. However, change and continuous improvement is the only game in town. Investors in People has to be stretching, stimulating and relevant at all stages of an organisation's development. The revised Standard delivers this and should certainly feature in every manager's toolkit."

The revised standard was also welcomed by Tony Robinson, Chief Executive of the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI). "The revised Standard is great news for small businesses as it is now even easier to use, more relevant and guaranteed to work in practice. The simplified structure clearly reflects how we build a business - develop strategies, take action and measure the impact. I am sure even more small business will benefit in the future from working with Investors in People to improve the performance of their business."

External link

For further information about Investors in People visit: www.investorsinpeople.co.uk

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