Further information

Investors in People (IIP)

Investors in People (IIP) is a nationally recognized award showing that an organisation develops people to help achieve its business aims. Once the award has been achieved a company is reassessed every 3 years to check that it still complies to the principles of the scheme.

We first gained IIP status in November 1999 and we retained the award after our reassessment in November 2005. We are committed to retaining this award because of the benefits to our employees and to our customers.

If you would like to know more about IIP then please visit their website where you can learn more (link under 'external links' below).

Innovative training/learning

The approach that we take to learning and development is that not everyone wants or needs everything. Our Learn As You Go programme is made up of a series of 25 interactive workshops, which compliment our competency framework, and is available to everyone.

Some of the topics covered are:

• Communication, including influencing, interpersonal skills, giving and receiving feedback;
• Time Management;
• Coaching and Mentoring;
• Planning and Organising;
• Appraisal (for both appraiser and appraisee);
• Customer Service, and;
• Health & Safety;

We use a tried and tested external supplier, Change Consultancy, to maximise the learning and development experience. You can learn more about their services from the Change Consultancy and Training website (see the link under 'external links' below).

We have also developed a link with the learning resources at Norfolk County Council. All of our employees have access to their Development Zone and are able to use this extensive library to borrow items which relate to our competency framework. Staff who are undertaking part time college courses have found this invaluable.

Training programmes

In addition to our innovative Learn As You Go programme we offer various other schemes. For example there is our induction training, which welcomes all new members of staff on their first day.

Part 1 takes place on your very first day and is followed up with further help and support from your allocated Guardian. Part 2 takes place within a couple of months from starting and is an informal event. Guest presenters, including the Chief Executive, explain your role within South Norfolk Council and what we are aiming to achieve.

A fully equipped learning suite is available to support IT (Information Technology) training. Qualified IT trainers offer a whole range of Microsoft Products such as Word, Excel and Power Point. One of the training schemes we offer is the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) qualification. This internationally recognized standard demonstrates a person’s IT skills. For more information on the ECDL programme and its benefits to you, when completing your CV, please visit their website (link under 'external links' below).

Accredited Management Development Programme

Our Management Development Programme is part of our commitment to succession planning and continuous improvement and is accredited to the Chartered Management Institute.

Members of staff attend a series of workshops covering:

• Managing Information and Communication for Results;
• Customer Focus, Planning & Change;
• Introduction to Quality Management;
• Using and Controlling Resources;
• Developing Yourself as a Supervisor;
• Staffing and Selection;
• Developing People and Planning Work, and;
• Improving Performance of your Team.

Profiling successful women

We are proud of our equal opportunities policy and flexible working options which are taken up more readily by women, helping them to become successful managers with us.

For example our Revenue and Strategic Housing services are both led by women and the Human Resources Team are continually promoting and approving a number of flexible working options.

‘It is very easy to talk about work/life balance but very hard to put into practice. We need to explode the myth that the more responsibility you have the longer the hours you need to work. If we want the individual to be flexible in times of organisational change then we need to be flexible as their needs change.

'We live in a world where 9-5 Monday to Friday is not the norm, so why are our working lives configured around this pattern of working?’
Karin Rundle, HR Manager

Related pages on this website

• Benefits of working at South Norfolk Council
• How to succeed at job interviews
• Current council job vacancies

External links

Investors in People (IIP)
Information about the IIP standard which we have achieved.

Change Consultancy and Training
The website of your innovation learning provider.

European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)
Information about the ECDL qualification which we support our employees to achieve.

About links to other websites.