Employer behaviour in relation to Investors in People
The aim of this project is to further explore employer behaviour in relation to the Investors in People product and service offering.
Investors in People is a business improvement tool which aims to help organisations improve their performance through people management. Investors in People was introduced in 1991 and set out a national framework to link the process of setting business objectives with staff development to improve performance.
Perspectives and Performance of Investors in People (PDF, 4.4 Mb) identified a number of barriers and motivations to involvement with the Standard which required further investigation. Exploring Employer Behaviour in Relation to Investors in People attempts to develop a deeper understanding of the Investors in People product and service offering from the perspective of employers.
The research comprised a series of in-depth, qualitative interviews with employers who have enjoyed continued success with the Standard, as well as those employers who have either committed or accredited to the Standard, but who have subsequently withdrawn from the Investors in People customer journey. A sampling strategy sought to increase the chances of capturing a full range of views and experiences across key sub-groups within the population of interest, including geography, industry sector and organisational size.
You can download the reports:
Key findings include:
- Investors in People was more likely to be seen as a business improvement tool among Human Resources (HR) staff, whereas senior managers tended to view the Standard as a more narrowly-focussed framework for HR colleagues.
- The HR function tended to recommend, own and lead Investors in People accreditation, but senior managers, directors or the chief executive tended to make the final decision about whether to (re)accredit.
- Long-term accredited organisations understood the purpose of Investors in People and used the Standard to manage change, reflective of a continuous improvement philosophy. These employers adapted how Investors in People is applied to their organisation, and in doing so continued to make it relevant and ensure the longevity of its value.
- Previously-accredited Investors in People employers felt Investors in People provided the firm with an initial one-off benefit, but had run its useful course within an organisation. For previously-accredited employers, consideration needs to be given to how employers can continue to derive value from the assessment process.
- De-committed employers reported that the amount of work required implementing processes for a successful Investors in People accreditation were substantial. Some businesses may need additional support in enabling them to recognise and make use of Investors in People in tough business conditions, in a variety of circumstances.
Implications for action include:
- Product development: differentiation within the framework through ‘Starter Investors in People’ to help organisations without a dedicated HR function.
- Marketing: promote the Standard as a tool for continuous improvement and shared learning through an Investors in People ambassador network and new ‘compare and learn’ diagnostic tool. Increase buy-in from senior decision-makers as well as HR managers through peer-to-peer communication.
- Management Information: Capture the change of organisational status to Investors in People can track mergers and business unit splits. Provide a tighter definition of a ‘commitment’ so advisers and employers both understand what this entails. Allow organisations to determine a de-commitment rather than giving 3 years as a default maximum.
- Delivery: Undertake a ‘gap analysis’ with employers to understand time and resource commitments to achieve accreditation. Ensure a good match between advisers/assessors and employers through choice of CVs and business experience within a given sector.
- Policy: Increase the external value of the Standard.
The project findings will help the UK Commission ensure Investors in People continues to meet the needs of organisations.
