People power lands Computacenter with a national accreditation

Effective internal communications, an array of learning and development solutions, and an innovative reward scheme have all helped Computacenter become recognised as an Investor in People in record time.

The IT services company, which employs 9,300 people across Europe, received its accreditation after proving it had achieved the national standard in just five months.

Mike Norris, Computacenter’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “Developing and supporting our staff has always been a part of the company’s culture, and has played a large part in the success and evolution of our business. We are increasingly being asked by our customers to formally prove this investment, which is why we wanted to formalise our approach through the national framework.”

The Investors in People Standard is a business improvement tool designed to advance an organisation's performance through its people. To achieve accreditation, companies must demonstrate their excellence at communication, business planning, effective management, performance review and training and development.

Computacenter was praised for a number of achievements in these areas, and was singled out for its effective talent management, staff forums and innovative reward programme for temporary employees.

Margot Beckett, Lead Assessor from Investors in People, commented: “Computacenter understands the value of developing and encouraging its people, and has implemented a number of impressive schemes. It has demonstrated ongoing and significant investment in skills development and is quick to identify talented individuals and nurture their growth.”

The accreditation process, which involves staff at all levels and can take up to two years, revealed that many of the company’s internal communication tools, such as the weekly email from the CEO and its staff intranet, BrowzaPlus, are greatly valued by Computacenter’s staff.

The company has also introduced a pioneering First Line Leader Programme, which will see 400-plus managers in its Services Division taught the art of creating high-performing teams, cultures and managerial skills. Staff that successfully complete the programme will be accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management.

“Computacenter’s employees are a great asset,” added Norris. “We are committed to ensuring our staff have access to the right training and information so they can achieve their full potential and help to grow the business.”

Computacenter was recognised as an Investor in People in December 2005, and will be re-assessed in three years’ time.