Investors in People (IIP) has unveiled a new version of its standard, updated to place new emphasis on employee involvement and on maximising potential.
Launched by Charles Clarke, the secretary of state for education and skills, the revised standard follows a year-long consultation and development process involving employers, business advisers and representative bodies.
The changes introduced have also been piloted by more than 90 employers, and have a simplified structure aimed at focusing on the role managers have in the development of employees.
IIP also wants to encourage organisations to involve employees in decision-making and said the changes were needed to ensure the standard remains relevant, practical and flexible.
Originally developed in 1990, the IIP standard is a business improvement tool designed to advance an organisation’s performance through its people.
The launch of the revised standard follows the publication of new research into the UK’s current productivity challenge.
The research, conducted among 700 senior managers on behalf of IIP, shows that 75 per cent believe effective development of employees will be vital or importance to the future productivity of their organisations. However, only one in three actually put people development at the top of their list when faced with competing priorities, such as new technology, knowledge of competitors and research and development.
The research suggests that commitment to employees – despite being recognised as the fundamental route to improving productivity – is diluted in the face of day-to-day priorities and investment choices.
Ruth Spellman, chief executive of IIP, said: “Organisations don’t stand still, so neither should the standard. This latest review en-sures that it recognises the issues and opportunities businesses are facing today and can help them respond to these challenges.”
More than 37,000 organisations across the UK have already achieved the IIP standard.
