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If you would like us to send you our IiP diagnostic questionnaire so you can quickly and easily identify where you are in relation to IiP accreditation click here and put 'IiP tool' in the subject line |
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Our whitepaper on 'Leadership in Professional Service Firms' is now ready and if you would like a copy
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Greetings!
This month we'll keep it brief. This e-newsletter is about the importance of continuing to develop your employees and in particular your managers, in spite of the gloomy climate.
The first article is about 'Investors in People' (IiP) and has been written by our own IiP consultant.
Our second artcle is a summary of key points from a recent survey report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), which backs up these ideas with hard data.
Let us know what you think by contacting us on twitter or commenting on our blog. |
 To IiP or not to IiP? That is the question!
In these uncertain times it can be tempting to dismiss learning and development as an expensive luxury when actually now is the time when Investing in People is more crucial than ever.
Given the undeniable link between employee engagement and motivation on productivity and organisational performance, organisations who want to thrive instead of just survive in these times need to be putting development activity firmly back at the top of their agenda.
In this competitive market place staying one step ahead, whilst keeping a wary eye on the bottom line, is a challenging prospect. Having clear and measurable objectives is vital and so is having a motivated and engaged workforce. Unfortunately in the current climate people are feeling more insecure and worried, especially about losing their jobs. Recent research has indicated that more people are staying put in their jobs and biding their time to see what happens to the marketplace in the future. This may seem like good news to employers but it is only beneficial if people are performing at their best.
All development should aim to improve organisational performance and ultimately its competitiveness but so many activities are unplanned, ad-hoc and not measured. So how can you tell if your investment in development has been worthwhile and has made a significant impact to your organisation?
Investors in People is a business development tool which focuses heavily on the contribution that learning and development makes to organisational success.
It provides a framework which enables companies to identify and set clear, measurable objectives and plan development activities to meet these objectives. It also helps with evaluating the success of learning and development ensuring a good return on investment, essential in these times of stretched or reduced budgets.
IiP accredited organisations have experienced many benefits from implementing the standard including better employee morale and motivation, improved communication, greater management and leadership effectiveness, clearer direction and better evaluation processes resulting in a greater return on investment.
Many people believe that IiP is a complicated bureaucratic process but it needn't be. With an expert IiP consultant metaphorically 'holding your hand' you can ease your way through from commitment to recognition in a relatively short timescale.
So if you've been considering IiP for a while, or if this article has ignited your interest, we would be delighted to speak to you about how we can help you to achieve the standard in your organisation. Please contact us now to arrange a no obligation call with our IiP consultant Sara.
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Seven things you should know from the CIPD's report "The war on talent? Talent management under threat in uncertain times. Part 1" (2009)
In November 2008, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) surveyed over 700 HR and senior managers about their talent management processes in the current economic environment and in the introduction Claire McCartney (2009), quotes:
'Ultimately, as many of our respondents emphasise, in a downturn managing, developing and motivating employees is even more important because it is the one thing that can differentiate their organisation and ensure that they not only survive the short term but thrive in the long term'.
From the report here are our top seven messages to take note of:
1. Organisations are still introducing measures to support managers to effectively manage talent in the downturn including:
- a greater emphasis on leadership and management development
- extra and targeted support provided by HR
- coaching and mentoring
- a greater emphasis on communication and open discussion
2. Encouragingly many see talent management as a long-term growth strategy and a way of achieving future sustainability.
3. Reducing effort now is seen to lead to serious repercussions in the long term.
4. Many respondents talked about the introduction of a variety of management and leadership development interventions to properly equip managers.
5. Coaching and mentoring was frequently mentioned as a more personal approach to developing line managers. This included coaching and mentoring line managers on a one-to-one basis and training managers to act as coaches to their teams.
6. Over half (55%) are developing more talent in-house. Organisations are also thinking about essential development activities, with 45% adopting a more targeted approach.
7. There is a greater focus on the retention of existing employees (35%).
In summary the message from the report was to continue to support managers to engage, develop and retain employees, particularly in uncertain times, through leadership development, coaching and mentoring as well as practical guidance from HR.
A copy of the report can be downloaded from the CIPD's website by clicking here.
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Learning Consultancy Partnership provides bespoke coaching and development solutions to meet the specific needs across all levels of an organisation.
To find out more, please visit our website at http://www.lcp.org.uk.
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