Hydro Group investing in people
At the heart of any organisation are its people. This is the view of the Directors of Hydro Group in Aberdeen, as Staff are considered to be the company’s greatest asset.
In challenging times, experts warn that cutting back on employees or their development is not always the best way forward and businesses should instead aim to invest on building their employees’ knowledge and skills to promote continuous improvement, commitment, motivation and, of course, corporate success.
Hydro Group, based at Aberdeen’s Science & Energy Park, a global provider of optical and electrical applications in the defence and oil and gas industries, has continued to commit to its employees. Most recently, the company successfully renewed the Investors in People Scotland (IIP) Standard for its commitment to maintaining best business management practice in the workplace, which it has held since 2005.
IIP was originally established as a way of providing organisations with a business improvement framework through the effective management and development of employees.
Irene Buxton, Human Resources Director at Hydro Group, said: “We are delighted with the feedback received from the Investors in People report. The scheme has encouraged us to meet high standards required in running a global company. The feedback report not only allows us to see our strengths but it also encourages us to work on any areas highlighted for improvement.”
“Currently it is a difficult time for any business and it is important that the people at the centre of the organisation are well equipped to do their job properly. In order to do so employers must be prepared to help Staff develop their skills if the business is to succeed and grow. IIP has helped us to polish these skills and identify who would benefit from further development, training, coaching or mentoring by encouraging an open feedback system for our employees. This has enabled Staff to feel confident about their role and contribution within the company and it makes everyone feel that we are working towards the same goals.”
Findings by the Cranfield School of Management have identified clear connections between financial performance and businesses that adopt the IIP scheme in the workplace. It has indicated that business leaders who choose to implement the business improvement tool have received a return on their investment, claiming that the scheme sets up a ‘chain of impact’ to all areas of the workplace.
Hydro Group’s feedback report highlighted the strong emphasis on people development and communication within the company. Indeed, research by Investors in People UK has shown that communication is a common problem faced by organisations and that over 60% of employees would like their superiors to seek their views and listen. In Hydro Group’s case the employees were happy with their involvement and inclusion in the business, feeling that they were listened to “from above” and that communication was “second to none”.
Ms Buxton continued: “Being awarded the IIP Standard has encouraged us to maintain and improve our management practices. We try to encourage external training as well as in-house schemes and as Directors we have strived towards additional development ourselves, such as the Directors Programme, led by the renowned Institute of Directors.
“In addition, to promote transparency and maintain commitment from ours Staff, we hold regular meetings, receiving constant feedback from each of the departments, encouraging everyone to participate and take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the business.”
