Being listed as a ‘Times Top 100 company to work for’ is an accolade which can really put your business on the map, elevating its profile far beyond that of your competitors and establishing you as an innovative, forward thinking organisation that values its people. Imagine the impact could have on recruitment costs and staff retention.

CSR programmes reinforce a company’s visions and values by giving a clear statement of what it stands for in terms of its ethics, its commitment to the wider community (not just customers and investors, but also employees, suppliers, regulators, special interest groups and society as a whole) and the environment.

The health and wellbeing of a company’s workforce is of paramount importance to its output and profitability. Taking measures to improve wellbeing therefore not only makes sound financial sense in terms of reducing absence, increasing productivity and retention levels, but marks you out as a company that takes a genuine interest in its employees.

Launched in 1991, Investors in People (IIP) is a well recognised business improvement tool designed to help all kinds of organisations develop performance through their people. Already achieved by some seven million employees in 35,000 organisations, Investors in People status has been demonstrated to improve financial performance, increase profitability and help businesses to achieve their strategic objectives.

Taking the Temperature of your Business

A stitch in time saves nine, so the old adage goes. Regular employee forums or HR surgeries provide your people with the platform to air their views on current issues affecting their working day.

Would most businesses like to improve profitability by up to 27%? Would they like their employees to be up to 43% more productive, have 67% less days off sick and be 87% less likely to leave?

Of course they would!

Improving employee engagement is a key factor in driving performance and profitability in business today. But what is Engagement? Engagement can be defined as a “positive attitude held by the employee towards the organisation and its values. An engaged employee is aware of business context, and works with colleagues to improve performance within the job for the benefit of the organisation. The organisation must work to nurture, maintain and grow engagement, which requires a two-way relationship between employer and employee”.¹

A recent government report² highlights the importance of effective employment engagement strategies, particularly in the current economic climate where many businesses have restructured, retaining key personnel who they need to remain. The evidence is compelling.

• Greatly improved staff retention
• Reduced accidents at work
• Increased advocacy of the organisation, its services and products
• Higher productivity Greater profitability
• Reduced absenteeism
• Better customer service

P4 Performance are specialists in this area. We work with our clients to positively affect their performance through ensuring they get the most from their people. Beginning with an employee survey or forum, we use recognised methodologies to benchmark current levels of engagement; we then work alongside the business to implement cost-effective strategies that really deliver. Having successfully delivered programmes to companies ranging from those with 12 employees to those with several thousand, we are passionate about helping our clients harness the untapped potential of their staff. If you would like more information or a free initial consultation, please contact us today to arrange a free consultation.

¹ Institute for Employment Studies

² “Engaging for Success: improving performance through employee engagement” ( A report to government by David McLeod & Nita Clarke) - for a free download of this report, see our Resources section.