Staff dedication leads to national award 15.06.2009
Oswaldtwistle Mills is celebrating after achieving the coveted Investor in People (IIP) Award which symbolises excellence in the workplace.
The shopping outlet was awarded with this nationally-recognised status after demonstrating outstanding teamwork and unwavering commitment to staff training and development.
The company underwent a sequence of rigorous assessments which included management effectiveness, performance measurement and learning and development before being accredited.
Debs Connell, HR manager at Oswaldtwistle Mills, said: “We are delighted that our efforts towards our employees have been acknowledged and are proud that we have been accredited with the status.
“As a business we recognise the key to our success is through our staff which is why it’s imperative that staff receive high quality training, which in turn, produces high quality customer service.
“All our planning processes are shared with the team members and staff at all levels are fully aware of business objectives and how they can contribute towards them,” Debs concluded.
Rod Altham, IIP assessor for Oswaldtwistle Mills found that managers have a genuine desire to improve job satisfaction and a strong commitment to improve customer satisfaction through people development, product development and marketing.
He said: “Oswaldtwistle Mills has retained its ‘family business’ ethos and directors and management have a hands-on role in the day to day running of the business.
“The company is perceived as a good employer and I was given numerous examples of good practice in systems to ensure staff welfare is paramount,” Rod concluded.
Boasting 100,000 square feet of 90 retail concessions, three fully licensed eateries and a nature reserve with over 52 varieties of ducks and geese, Oswaldtwistle Mills has over one million visitors per year.
Developed in 1990 by a partnership of leading businesses and national organisations, the IIP standard helps organisations to improve performance and realise objectives through the management and development of their people.
IIP accreditation is the second major quality award that Oswaldtwistle Mills has recently received, after they were named UK’s most coach friendly shopping attraction at the 2009 UK Coach Award Ceremony.
Oswaldtwistle Mills has also been short listed for the ‘Access for all’ category at the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourism awards, as well as ‘Best Market Mill’ category at the Group Travel Awards – an award which they have won for the past four years.
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