HR Corner Investment in people pays dividends by Nicole Wong Focus on staff development yields ongoing rewards Most successful companies put talent development at the top of their agendas and fully realise that business can only benefit if employees are given the opportunity to make maximum use of their abilities. This requires creating an internal alignment between staff performance and overall corporate goals and entails an unending search for excellence. One of the best ways an employer can demonstrate their commitment to such objectives is by obtaining the internationally recognised "Investor in People" standard. This is awarded to organisations that achieve their targets through improving motivation, professionalism, flexibility and teamwork among their employees. As a leading provider of express delivery services, TNT Express Worldwide (HK) Ltd considers people as the company's greatest asset, and one of their main priorities is to provide all staff with the chance to achieve professional fulfilment. In 2000, they were part of the first international company to achieve worldwide recognition as an Investor in People (IIP), something seen as acknowledgement for their focus on training and development and their policy of providing recognition for both individual and team achievements. "The IIP standard works as a business tool and has helped us to communicate our direction and expectations to staff, as well as to identify upcoming training needs," says Louisa Wu, the company's director of human resources. Attainment of the standard was the result of careful planning and detailed implementation, since it is only awarded to organisations which meet tough criteria laid down by the IIP board. Evaluations of people management and development practices are conducted by means of extensive interviews. In these, selected staff at all levels must give an accurate explanation of the company's objectives and prove they have received appropriate training. "When we first started, it was a challenge to make some of our frontline staff understand the programme and articulate their answers," Mrs Wu admits. Never underestimate the impact that just one well-trained member of staff can have Better communication In response to these initial difficulties, TNT made significant efforts to enhance staff awareness and upgrade general communication skills. They now hold regular briefings and have also introduced a number of more light-hearted activities to instil the IIP concepts in all employees. Moreover, the company is reassessed every 18 months to determine if the status should be maintained. "We are constantly reviewing our strategies and processes to make sure they are understood by everyone and to align them with our business objectives and the IIP standards," Mrs Wu explains. Those standards require the adoption of four key IIP principles - commitment, planning, action and evaluation – which go hand in hand with talent development and open communication. TNT's commitment to the whole process begins with their policy of recruiting only high-calibre candidates and then putting them through a comprehensive programme, designed to teach core competencies and enhance motivation. Additional training courses are available for all staff on a continuous basis, depending on job responsibilities and individual needs. In addition, a recognition system has been established, which is specifically intended to reward good performance and further the career prospects of high achievers. Newsletters, emails, an intranet system and staff meetings are used to keep employees fully briefed with regular updates on any developments affecting the company. Open door "Our management has an open-door policy and encourages people to express their opinions," Mrs Wu adds. There is also a frequently held forum for staff from different departments to report on their latest activities and evaluate one another's performance. Cross-functional working committees are formed to utilise all available skills whenever a new project is to be implemented. And workshop on team building has been set up to encourage productivity and better cooperation and efficiency. "We have always worked to develop and maintain a healthy working environment," Mrs Wu stresses. "IIP has made us go a step further by providing a structured system to work with. It has helped us keep improving our policies, systems and practices." Since achieving the standard, TNT has seen many tangible benefits that have had a direct impact on business development. Staff productivity has increased and that, in turn, has led to greater revenues, wider profit margins and higher levels of customer satisfaction. "You should never underestimate the impact that just one well-trained member of staff can have on the company's performance," Mrs Wu says. She adds that recognition is the key to greater staff involvement. If their achievements are recognised, employees are willing to accept change and identify more readily with the company's goals. Besides that, the resulting higher morale among staff is an important factor in improved rates of retention and the steady enhancement of corporate results. "Our employees are conscientious about their work and continually assess their own performance," Mrs Wu notes. "That outlook helps to strengthen our competitive edge and, in time, will attract more talented people to the industry." Salient points "Investor in People" is an internationally recognised standard awarded to organisations which achieve their business objectives through improved staff performance Achievement of the IIP standard depends on consistency in people management and training programmes Talent development and open communication are the keys to effective staff management Greater employee involvement contributes to improved business performance Taken from Career Times 13 May 2005, p. 16 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]