How long has it been since you have opened a road map? Let’s face it; it’s probably been a while and if it isn’t, you know there is an easier option right?! Gone are the days of going long distances without the varied mechanical tones of the GPS. So why muddle through the slow moving traffic that the recession presents without business advice in order to reach your destination?
As we discussed in our first blog ‘Is it possible for businesses to grow in a recession?’ many organisations are beating the odds and increasing their turnover despite the pressure. An obvious trend is better people management. By placing staff in the driving seat and engaging them in the journey, there are undeniably less bumps in the road.
So here at Investors in People, we think of ourselves as your business ‘Sat Nav.’ We’ve been going the distance for 20 years now and we know what works. It is fair to say no journey is the same; but there are some tricks that we quite often use to enable businesses to grow.
Planning the route
You have to know where you are going before you leave, right? …How much petrol to put in the tank and whether you will need sweets and games to keep the kids happy?
In order to go forward and grow, every business needs a purpose; a vision and a set of clear objectives. When all of your people are heading in the same direction, everyone feels a sense of ownership and pride; employee contributions are recognised and add value. Our Investors in People Specialists are a dab hand at giving your business a people strategy, getting your staff on board and working as effectively as they possibly can.
Recalculating your direction
Of course hardly any great plan goes exactly right. We are good, but we are not miracle workers! Some factors are just out of an organisation’s control, it’s how businesses deal with these changes that counts.
As one of our Specialists Robert Thomson says; “the Investors in People Framework can be used to transform performance of organisations that are having to cope with changes imposed by external factors.” Whether it is new legislation, responding to competition or changing an emerging culture, working with Investors in People enables your business to stay on track and stop you from deviating away from your goal.
Keeping your eyes on the road
Growing a business is not a quick trip. It’s a long haul that requires focus and engagement. Much the same as a caffeine fix on a long journey, employees need to remain engaged to stay productive in order to allow the business to grow.
Investors in People Specialists are able to help raise employee awareness. We are well practiced at suggesting methods to monitor performance, measure success and continually improve an organisation’s staff.
Looking after your vehicle
It’s a horrible feeling when your vehicle breaks down, not to mention a strain on the wallet. Looking after your organisation properly, (that is the people who come to work every day), has a direct impact on productivity and therefore growth.
Describing the period during which they were working with Investors in People – Mark Standish, the CEO of Carlyle Finance told us; “we were rated at 96% [for having the best staff] and our competitors at 75%… our profit doubled year-on-year from £10m to £20m.” Whether this people ‘maintenance’ be through increased training, performance feedback or reward and recognition, staff are more productive when they feel valued and Investors in People knows what works.
Many businesses know where they want to end up, but without knowing how to get there it can take time, and time is money. Throw away the road map and do yourself a favour, order yourself a ‘business Sat Nav’ (that’s us!)
To find out more about Investors in People click here for a free diagnostic meeting or visit our website http://www.investorsinpeople.co.uk
Or why not follow us on Twitter too for more from Investors in People?
Loading tweets...