Investors in People

6. Formal Recognition

While the activities outlined in 2, 3, 4 and 5 represent good practice, formal recognition as an Investor in People requires you to be assessed against 10 indicators to determine whether you meet the Standard.

6.1 Contact your local delivery organisation .

It can provide:

• A copy of the Standard and the indicators, and related publications.A catalogue of products and publications is also available from the Investors in People UK orderline on 0870 850 4477.
• A briefing to help you understand the Standard and how to achieve it.
• Names of approved advisers registered with your local delivery organisation.
• Any available financial support towards the cost of achieving the Standard.Separately, the delivery organisation may also provide financial support for specific training activities.

6.2 Formulate an action plan, outlining the steps you need to take.

• Conduct an initial assessment of how your company measures against the 10 indicators. You can use team meetings, group discussions or a questionnaire.
• Your delivery organisation, or one of its advisers, can help with this review.

6.3 If you need help, contact the delivery organisation's chief executive, committing to achieving the Standard, and send your action plan.

Do not do this unless you are sure that you will follow it through.

• Withdrawing your commitment later can damage both morale and your reputation.

6.4 Take the action required to meet all the indicators of the Standard.

This typically takes six to 18 months, depending on the size of your company and the amount of work needed.

• You do not have to achieve the Standard within a set time frame, but maintaining momentum is important.
• Assessment with feedback can be requested at any time. Use the feedback to focus resources on areas where improvement is needed to achieve the Standard.

6.5 Demonstrate how you think you satisfy the requirements of the Standard.

• The assessor will require you to demonstrate outcomes in terms of planning, learning and development activity, evaluation and effective communication.Evidence of other resources allocated to employee development (such as time) may also be required.
• Provide a description of your company and any relevant background.This will help the assessor to understand your company quickly.
• Evidence demonstrating how your organisation meets the Standard can be presented to the assessor, in the way you choose (eg in a file or verbally).Your local delivery organisation adviser and the assessor will help you decide which is the most appropriate format for your organisation.

6.6 Arrange for formal assessment.

The following gives a broad outline of the assessment process.

• The assessment will be arranged, via your delivery organisation, with a quality centre.
• The quality centre will appoint an assessor, who will agree a plan of how the assessment, reporting, recognition and feedback processes will take place.
• The assessor will review any written evidence you present (see 6.5).The assessor will also want to interview a representative sample of your employees.
• If the assessor feels you have not met the requirements of the Standard, the areas for development will be explained.A timescale will be agreed to determine the date for assessment of these areas.The assessor will give you, and your delivery organisation adviser, immediate verbal feedback and a written report at the end of the assessment process.
• If you meet the Standard, you will be entitled to use the Investor in People logo.

6.7 Maintain the Standard.

• Continue to use the Investors in People Standard to develop your business and your employees, and to manage change.
• Keep up your training and development of employees.
• Show your commitment to continuous improvement in all aspects of planning, communication and development.
• Build on your success by using Investors in People models for Recruitment and Selection, Leadership and Management and Work-life Balance.