business focus 19


Grant Thornton to deliver Investors in People


Leading business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP has been successfully appointed, following a competitive tender process, to act as the licensed Investors in People centre for the south of England. The appointment, which will see the firm hold the licence for an initial three- year period from April 1, has been described as a great opportunity to align to the firm’s leadership and culture proposition. Partners at Grant Thornton’s Southampton office add that it is further evidence of the delivery capability the firm has established across GrowthAccelerator and the Manufacturing Advisory Service


Grant Thornton recognises that if dynamic organisations are to meet their ambitions for growth, addressing skill shortages and the ’talent gap’ is key; a popular concern raised at the Agents of Growth Summits held by the firm over recent months. The series of events, the most recent held at Heron Tower in central London, brought together over 400 business leaders to share actionable insights, exchange growth strategies and build a manifesto to drive momentum in the mid-market, following last year’s Agents of Growth research. Talent shortages in relation to growth aspirations was the second biggest issue raised on the day – with 85% stating they were increasing their workforce in 2014, and 45% would be doing so by 5% or more.


Norman Armstrong (pictured), partner at Grant Thornton in Southampton, said: “As a leading adviser to dynamic businesses, public-sector and third-sector organisations, we know that good people make great business and so believe that investing in talent is vital to economic growth.


“In every conversation I’m having at the moment, people and culture is coming up as a common challenge. How do I get the team that I’ve got to adapt and change fast enough to the opportunities that we’re seeing, the strategy we’re pursuing, the vision we’ve got for the business?


“This is why we’re very excited to have been selected to deliver IIP, a programme which aligns closely to our own values and adds tangible benefit to ambitious businesses.“


The leadership and culture advisory team is another area of Grant Thornton’s expertise to help businesses unlock their growth agenda through their people. “I see this everyday,“ continued


Armstrong. “Organisations with gaps in the key people that they need to deliver what they want to do; searching the market, trying to find those people. It’s not that they’re not finding them; they probably don’t exist. So the question to them is: what


are you doing about talent development for now and for the future of your organisation?“


The appointment of Grant Thornton is a key part of IIP’s wider focus on re-energising the brand as the leading


’people partner’ for ambitious organisations. This includes


growing the programme by extending and improving the quality and range


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – MARCH 2014 www.businessmag.co.uk


of services on offer, delivering greater efficiency in programme delivery and broadening the appeal of the service.


In every conversation I’m having at the moment, people and culture is coming up as a common challenge. How do I get the team that I’ve got to adapt and change fast enough to the opportunities that we’re seeing, the strategy we’re pursuing, the vision we’ve got for the business?


Paul Devoy, head of Investors in People, commented: “Investors in People is the mark of a great company, one that understands the contribution that its people make towards its overall success. The Investors in People framework has been used by organisations for over 20 years to help unlock the potential of their people. We are pleased to be working with Grant Thornton to help continue to deliver this in the south, as we continue to improve and deliver leadership and best practice as standard.“


Details: Norman Armstrong 023-8038-1114 www.grant-thornton.co.uk


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