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When our MD, Nick Pauley, came up with the idea of â'˜doingâ'' Investors in People, I must admit my heart sank. I envisaged that it would be me who burned the midnight oil, writing masses of unnecessary documents. I thought it would be about producing reports and we were busy enough without extra work. But really I knew nothing about it. At that stage I had no idea that many of the things we already did would count towards accreditation and I didnâ''t realise what benefits it would bring to the business. In the last three years the number of staff at Pauley Design has doubled and the company has expanded rapidly. Originally just a graphic design agency, we now deal with corporate identify, marketing literature, websites, digital media and e-marketing and we have our own in-house technical team. Thereâ''s three of us in our management team plus Nick. He talked us round to the idea by explaining that we were half-way there already. He also broke the good news that Business Link would be able to give us a matched funding grant. We started the whole process by meeting the consultant recommended to us by Business Link. There was no obligation for us to employ him and it was important that we all got along well. Doing IIP is quite intrusive to a business and we needed to feel comfortable with him. I learnt at that first meeting that IIP isnâ''t about pieces of paper, it is about peopleâ''s attitudes, how they feel and their career aspirations. We would work through the process with consultant advice and prepare for assessment. Then an IIP assessor would be invited to look at what we had in place and decide if we met the standard. We felt very happy with our consultant so arrangements were made for him to spend a whole day with us at Broughton Manor. When the day of that meeting dawned I was feeling nervous and I expect everyone else was too. The consultant would interview all twelve of us. It was like being summoned to an exam without having any idea of the questions. I kept wondering â'œam I saying the right thing?â' I need not have worried; it was a friendly chatty session and I soon realised there were no right answers. We talked about our jobs, our careers, the direction they were taking, what skills we hoped to gain. In his session Nick outlined the companyâ''s business plan and how it related to staff issues and recruitment. We took a hard look at what abilities we would require in our recruits. The company induction process received a review. We were guided through an examination of all elements of the business which concerned our personnel: planning, making the best of our staff and helping them to develop to their full potential. At the end of the day we gathered in the board room for a feedback session. This turned out to be very reassuring and extremely complimentary. Our internal communication was excellent. We were also praised for our customer survey and how we communicated the results. The strength of the team was recognised and in particular how we shared the same objectives. We all went home with big smiles on our faces. That was just the beginning. There was more work to do and we concentrated on the shortcomings in the areas that were identified. All employees have now drawn up their own career maps which contain details of their own personal aspirations. These note what training they would like and their own personal development plans. I have been with Pauley Design nearly two years now. After doing a marketing and law degree at Leicester I worked first for a software company and then in a marketing department of a hardware distributor. I had never mapped out exactly where I wanted my career to be heading. Putting it down on paper and examining hopes for the future has enabled me to see my own development much more clearly. It also helps Nick to plan to meet my needs. This commitment on both sides to staff development makes a team even stronger. There were unexpected benefits. One of our new staff expressed the wish to be an account director as she enjoyed spending time liaising with our customers. None of us had ever thought of her in that role and without the IIP process, Iâ''m not sure she would have suggested it. She is now directing accounts and shows enormous talent for good client communication. She has gained a new and rewarding role and weâ''re delighted to have been able to promote an existing member of staff. Thatâ''s where IIP really scores. It empowers people. The day the assessor came felt very similar to that first interview. There were butterflies in my stomach but it was quite different this time. Instead of worrying about ourselves we were all concerned for the company. Would it do well, would it â'˜passâ'' the test? Nick was interviewed for about an hour, then the management team had a chat and finally all staff members had their turn. There were no trick questions, instead the assessor said, â'œjust tell me about your career path ...â' or â'œexplain how you introduce new employees to the company.â' The assessment was very gentle and friendly. Again the feedback was immediate and we were delighted to learn that our assessor would be recommending we receive the accreditation as Investors in People. We waited for her report to arrive and then we cracked open a champagne bottle. Many people have asked me why I think that IIP is worth doing. I believe the answer is that it helps an organisation to stay competitive by keeping its best talent on board. If everyone knows where the company is going and individuals share with management their own aspirations for the future then there is no room for creeping resentment. It is often a lack of job satisfaction rather than salary that drives talent from an organisation. With IIP in place, everyone knows what to expect and has a chance to shape their own destiny â'' again itâ''s all about empowerment. At Pauley Design we want to come to work because we enjoy being part of the team. That bond between us has been brought about by the open and honest way we share our hopes for the future. There is no â'œus and themâ'. Nick and the management team have a personal development programme and training just as the rest of the staff. We have a common commitment and we all know where we are heading. Giving people a vision of what the future may hold and their part in it is so very powerful. And of course inevitably, if everyone gives their best effort, it shows in the quality of work and the satisfaction of our customers. ______________________________ Sharon Adams is client services manager at design agency Pauley Design which specialises in corporate identity, marketing literature, websites, digital media and e-marketing - see www.pauleydesign.co.uk.