Now is the time to invest in your people’s skills - Empey

Employment Minister, Sir Reg Empey, today urged businesses that now is the time to invest in the skills of their employees.

The Minister was speaking to 41 businesses, schools and voluntary organisations with the prestigious Investors in People (IiP) accreditation. IiP has long been acknowledged as the most successful framework for business improvement through people. It helps organisations of every size, sector and location to compete and succeed through improved people performance.

At the Hillsborough Castle celebration event, Sir Reg said: “Now is the time to invest in people. Experience has shown that companies that invest in the development of their people during times of economic downturn are in the strongest position to gain competitive advantage in recovery. It is those companies that have that all important edge. In fact, research shows that companies that invest in the skills of their staff are two and half times more likely to survive.”

Sir Reg congratulated those receiving awards and added: “In a rapidly changing economy it is often easy to forget that businesses realise their ambitions through their people. The importance of local businesses investing in their people is now more relevant than ever, given the downturn we now find ourselves in. The uptake of IiP by businesses in Northern Ireland is extremely encouraging for the local economy, and should serve as an example of the bottom-line business benefits of IiP to all other employers.”

He also assured organisations that as the business environment changes the delivery of IiP has also changed in response to current challenges: “The IiP assessment process is now even more closely aligned with organisations’ individual business issues and priorities. As part of recent developments, organisations are also now encouraged to stretch themselves even further by looking at the themes and issues contained in the full Investors in People framework and achieve recognition at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels.”

Notes to editors:

1. Investors in People (IiP) is a business improvement tool that helps organisations to compete and succeed through improved people performance. The framework is designed to help organisations develop the knowledge and skills of their people so that what they can do is what the business needs them to do.

2. Over 1,300 small, medium and large organisations from all sectors and sizes of business in Northern Ireland are currently using Investors in People to transform their businesses.

3. The organisations receiving accreditation as Investors in People during this special ceremony were:

Ashton Community Trust Training and Employment Services - Belfast, Asidua - Belfast, Brook Northern Ireland - Belfast, Bryan Hynds Services - Portadown, Careforce Group PLC (Lisburn) - Lisburn, Carniny Primary School - Ballymena, Causeway Dental - Ballymoney, CM Works - Belfast, Depaul Ireland (NI) - Belfast, Dromore Dental - Dromore, EG Information Consulting Ltd - Belfast, First Steps Women's Centre - Dungannon, Fonacab Ltd - Belfast, Holy Trinity Centre - Belfast, Kerry - Convenience Northern Ireland Sales Team - Portadown, Kilrea, Rasharkin & Dunloy Credit Union Ltd - Kilrea, Legal-Island - Antrim, Mercy Care - St Macartan's Nursing & Residential Home - Clogher, MindWise - Belfast, Moira Dental Care - Moira, Mulholland Aftercare Services - Belfast, Next Level Impact - Belfast, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce - Belfast, Opus Homecare - Belfast, Police Service of Northern Ireland - F District - Omagh, South Ulster Housing Association - Portadown, Specsavers - Newry, St John The Baptist Nursery School - Portadown, St John's Primary School - Swartagh, St Joseph & St James's Primary School - Newry,

St Joseph's Home - Warrenpoint, St Patrick's Primary School and Nursery Unit - Ballymena, St Paul's College - Kilrea, Staff Nursing Ltd - Larne, The Bytes Project - Belfast, The Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland - Lisburn, The streat @ the Odyssey - Belfast, The streat Franchising Ltd - Holywood, TinyLife - Carryduff, VOYPIC Voice of Young People in Care - Belfast.

4. Photographs from the presentation ceremony are available on request from the Department for Employment and Learning Communications Branch.

5. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Employment and Learning Communications Branch on 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.