Investors in People (IiP)
What is it?
The Investors in People Award is nationally recognised and gained when an organisation is able to provide evidence of achieving the IiP Standard.
What is the standard?
The standard provides organisations with a business improvement framework to help them improve performance and ensure the skills and capabilities of its staff are maximised. The framework recognises an organisations commitment to developing all staff, whether they are full or part time and clinical or non-clinical.
The framework is made up of 10 indicators which are underpinned by 196 evidence requirements, all of which the Trust is required to provide evidence for.
Can I see the framework?
We will be measured against the ‘Fifth Generation Framework’. The Trust has placed a copy on the intranet for your convenience. Just simply click on the HR & Organisational Development tab on the home page. Then click the Learning and Development tab and a series of coloured tabs will appear on the right hand side of the screen. Here you will find a green tab labelled Investors in People which contains all the documents relating to IiP, including the framework.
Alternatively if you are viewing this electronically you can click on the link below
I thought we already had accreditation?
Aintree has been successful in gaining accreditation since it originally achieved the award in 1999. However, organisations must be reaccredited on a three yearly basis to maintain the award.
When will the Trust be assessed?
The Trust will be assessed over a 1 week period week commencing the 14 March 2016.
When will I know if I have been selected for interview?
Staff selected for interview will be notified during the month of February and the weeks leading up to the assessment in March. Experience has shown that if staff are notified too far in advance,there tends to be a problem with DNA’s, which compromises the assessment.
So why have I got to be interviewed?
It is a mandatory requirement that evidence for the 196 requirements is gathered verbally through interviews with employees. Put simply, to ensure the organisation is really meeting the standards the assessors speaks to the staff to ensure the processes and procedures have tangible outcomes.
Why have I been selected?
The assessors needs to speak to a cross section of the organisation and has selected 160 staff at random. You have simply been chosen as part of the sample selection.
How will I be notified?
Staff will be contacted using a variety of methods including emails, letters and telephone calls. You will be asked to confirm your attendance and it is important that you do this, as it is mandatory that the Trust meets the sample selection criteria to achieve re-accrediatation.
Who will interview me?
Interviews are completed by an assessor from IiP. The allocated lead assessor for Aintree is a gentleman called John O’Sullivan and he will be supported by another two assessors Liam Linacre and Carol Davidson. John is familiar with Aintree’s working practices as he worked with the Trust when we achieved reaccreditation in 2012 and again in 2014 for theinterim review.
Will my manager be interviewed?
Not necessarily as staff are selected at random. However the 196 evidence requirements are divided into three levels and all staff will sit in one of the levels described below regardless of their job role. The assessor will make sure he has a representative sample from each of these categories.
Top managers - The most senior people in the organisation, who are responsible for developing strategies and approving major investments. Here at that Trust they will include representatives from, the board of directors/executives and senior management/divisional leads
Managers– Those people that have responsibility for operationally managing the service and the staff that provide the service.
Staff – The people in the organisation that provide a service and don’t have management responsibilities
What will this mean to me?
The topic of discussion and the type of questions you will be askedwill vary depending on your role. If you are a senior manager they will focus on areas such as strategy, planning, people involvement and evaluation. If you are a manager they are more likely to focus on operational management. For example how do monitor your department’s performance and communicate this to your staff? What do you have in place to ensure your staff develop the right skills and knowledge for their role?
The staff questions will focus very much on what happens in your workplace, for example:-
Have you been appraised?
Do you have team meetings?
How is information disseminated in your area?
Do you understand the priorities of your role?
Have you had an opportunity to develop?
How are you recognised or rewarded in your area
All we ask is that you are open and honest in your reply to the assessor. Remember this is not a test and they will guide you with your responses as well as probe to establish evidence.
Will people know what I have said at the interview?
Some people will attend group interviews and will therefore be interviewed alongside people in a similar role and confidentiality will be agreed amongst the group. The Trust does not receive feedback from individuals. The assessor will provide overall feedback and will discuss areas of the standard in which the Trust excels, and areas that may need improvement
Will I be given time to attend?
As you are completing this task on behalf of the Trust, managers have been asked to organise for staff to be released from the work place to attend interviews.
Do I have to attend the interview?
It is important that staff selected attend for their interview. If you are unable to attend you must speak to your manager and inform them of the reason for non-attendance. You manager will than need to organise a replacement from your work area and inform Learning and Development of the change.
Who do I contact if I want to discuss this further?
You can contact Jane Donnelly from the Learning and Development Department either via email or on ext 0508.