Investors in People#Investors in People UK

In 1990 the Department of Employment was tasked with developing a national standard of good practice for training and development. Investors in People was born and officially launched at that year's CBI Conference in Glasgow by then Secretary of State for Employment, the Rt Hon Michael Howard QC MP.

Investors in People UK was formed in 1991 to protect the integrity of the Investors in People framework. It was a non-departmental public body and received funding from the former UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The organisation was based in London, United Kingdom and managed the development, policy, promotion and quality assurance of the Investors in People framework.

From April 2010 the work of the organisation was transferred to UKCES (UK Commission for Employment and Skills) which was responsible for the strategic ownership of Investors in People until January 2017, when the organisation transitioned into a Community Interest Company on 1 February 2017.

In September 2015, Investors in People launched the [https://www.investorsinpeople.com/iip-standard sixth generation standard], evolved from the previous fifth generation to keep pace with modern practices. The current framework reflects the latest workplace trends, leading practices and employee conditions required to create outperforming teams. The latest framework focuses on three key areas: leading, supporting and improving. Within these sit nine performance indicators based on the features of organisations that consistently outperform industry norms. Organisations are assessed against these indicators using a performance model made up of four levels: Developed, Established, Advanced, High-Performing. In order to achieve the minimum level of accreditation against this framework, an organisation must meet all nine indicators at 'Developed' level{{Citation needed|date=June 2017}}.

Thousands of organisations from the public and private sector have achieved accreditation.{{cite web|title=Top marks or flying a kite?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/1999/jan/30/features.jobsmoney|website=The Guardian|access-date=27 February 2018|date=30 January 1999}} In 1999 it was estimated that one in three UK organisations was accredited, with one quarter of the UK workforce working for an Investors in People accredited company in 2002.{{cite web|author1=Anna Tobin|title=Standard bearers or just a bad joke?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2002/oct/12/workandcareers.jobsandmoney|website=The Guardian|access-date=27 February 2018|date=12 October 2002}} In 2011, 2,873 UK schools held the Standard.{{cite web|author1=Gerald Haigh|title=Life skills: Outside activities add to the mix|url=https://www.ft.com/content/1a6bfa72-3fb9-11e0-a1ba-00144feabdc0|website=The Financial Times|access-date=27 February 2018|date=25 February 2011}}

As of 2013, there are four levels of accreditation: Accredited, Silver, Gold and Platinum.{{cite web|title=Accredited, Silver, Gold & Platinum|url=https://www.investorsinpeople.com/accredited-silver-gold-platinum|website=Investors in People|access-date=27 February 2018|date=14 November 2013}}

The original research was carried out in 2000 by Duncan Collins (architect of the Standard in 1991) and David Gittings. This was published by The Department of Education and Employment as {{ISBN|1-84185-347-X}} and was the first empirical proof that developing pays off financially. The Standard is regularly reviewed by Investors in People (formally as part of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills) and independent research is conducted on the benefits of working with the Investors in People framework and the impact of achieving recognition. This research has indicated that Investors in People has a positive impact on performance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-investors-in-people-year-2|title=Evaluation of Investors in People: Year 2 - Publications - GOV.UK|website=www.gov.uk|language=en|access-date=2017-02-02}}

Investors in People also commissions regular research into employee views and attitudes. This includes their employment satisfaction survey, the annual Job Exodus Trends Report. The research looks at workers feelings towards changing job in the next 12 months and those actively looking for a new position.{{cite web|author1=Anna Hart|title=Hate your job? These 'gurus' are here to help|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-business/11794175/Hate-your-job-These-gurus-are-here-to-help.html|website=The Telegraph|access-date=27 February 2018|date=14 August 2015}}{{cite web|author1=Alan Tovey|title='New year, new job' sentiment declines despite unemployment at 40-year low|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2018/01/02/new-year-new-job-sentiment-declines-despite-unemployment-40/|website=The Telegraph|access-date=27 February 2018|date=2 January 2018}}

In 2009 Investors in People funded research together with the Health and Safety Executive and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development concluding that companies that treated their staff well had a better chance of surviving economic downturn.{{cite web|author1=Kate Devlin|title=Companies that are nice to staff 'more likely to survive economic downturn'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/4240301/Companies-that-are-nice-to-staff-more-likely-to-survive-economic-downturn.html|website=The Telegraph|access-date=27 February 2018|date=15 January 2009}}

In 2002 Investors in People researched graduate employment trends, concluding that two thirds of graduates believe training and development is one of the most important factors when choosing an employer{{cite web|author1=Juliet Shedden|title=Why you should mop up a wide variety of work experience - even the menial tasks|url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2002/aug/31/careers.students4|website=The Guardian|access-date=27 February 2018|date=31 August 2002}}

Though UK-based, the Standard has been licensed to a number of other countries through Investors in People International.{{Cite web|url=https://www.investorsinpeople.com/company-information/iip-international|title=IIP International {{!}} Investors in People|website=www.investorsinpeople.com|language=en|access-date=2017-02-02}} Investors in People International operates in more than 80 countries and delivers services in more than 30 languages{{Citation needed|date=June 2017}}.

{{Reflist}}

• Investors in People official website (investorsinpeople.com[http://www.investorsinpeople.com])
• [https://www.solutions-driven.com/2018/01/29/solutions-driven-awarded-highest-people-management-awards/ Solutions Driven obtain IIP Platinum and IIYP Gold]
• [http://www.poweredbypaf.com/royal-mail-address-management-unit-investors-in-people-gold-award-press-release/ Royal Mail Address Management Unit obtain IiP Gold Standard]

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}

Category:Organisations based in the City of Westminster

Category:Certification marks

Category:Standards organisations in the United Kingdom