IIP, IIP HURRAY! ARDS RECOGNISED AS INVESTOR IN PEOPLE

Ards Borough Council has been recognised as an 'Investor In People' becoming one of only nine local authorities in Northern Ireland to have received the accreditation for the entire organisation.

Investors in People (IiP) is the UK's leading standard for improving the way in which organisations manage and develop their people, leading to business improvement and better services.

Assessment is based on first hand evidence from staff interviews and around 50 of the Council's employees were randomly selected to talk to an IiP assessor, answering questions on everything from their understanding of the Council's aims to their own experiences of training, learning and development opportunities.

There are 39 evidence requirements in the IiP standard which all organisations need to meet to become recognised. Doing so is a real achievement, according to the Mayor of Ards, Councillor William Montgomery:

"IiP is all about managing and developing people which in turn leads to improved performance and ultimately better services for our customers," said Councillor Montgomery. "We had to prove, not through pieces of paper and written policies, but through our people at all levels, that the Council values its employees, invests in their development and their well-being, and that everyone knows their individual jobs are important to the Council's success in meetings its overall, corporate goals".

In recent years, the Council has introduced a range of initiatives to invest in its people, from a new staff review and development programme and range of consultative committees and employee-led working groups, to concentrating on improving internal communications and promoting positive attitudes at work.

"Involving employees in decision-making, working on how we communicate internally and encouraging our staff to contribute ideas and raise issues, have been very important aspects of our approach to meeting the standard, but we're by no means perfect," said the Council's Chief Executive, Ashley Boreland. "Indeed, as the proposed merger with North Down Borough Council comes closer, ensuring our employees are well-informed, and equipped to cope with change and that our services to residents continue to be delivered effectively, is even more important. The Investors in People standard is to be maintained and enhanced for the benefit of our employees and our customers".

Anyone who would like to know more about the Investors In People standard should go to www.investorsinpeople.co.uk.