A local housing provider is celebrating after winning its Investors in People award for the second time.
Shepton Mallet-based Flourish Homes, which is a non-profit making housing association that owns and manages more than 4,000 properties in Frome, Wells, Shepton Mallet, Glastonbury and Street and well as 51 villages across central Somerset, had to prove it lived up to the 10 standards that all organisations awarded the special logo need to meet.
“Getting this award for the second time shows all the energy and hard work that staff put into their jobs. The Investors in People standard is not given lightly and it’s actually what it says it is – it shows that we invest in our people,” said Jane King, Head of Human Resources at Flourish Homes, which is part of the Aster Group.
“We recently re-launched our staff suggestion scheme on National Ideas Day, which is also the anniversary of Einstein’s birthday, to encourage staff to give us their thoughts on how we can all get better at what we do. Our Green Team is coming up with environmentally friendly ways to improve our working practices and our newly formed Ideas Group meet with no agendas, minutes or boundaries – just free thinking to help us come up with solutions to things like the work/life balance. All these contribute to making Flourish Homes a good place to work, which is reflected in this Investors in People award.
“We are working to be a top 100 employer and achieving this standard again demonstrates to our staff and potential employees that Flourish Homes is a good place to work. We’re very pleased and want to thank all the staff who helped us achieve this.”
Flourish Homes, which was set up as a separate housing association in 2001 following the large scale voluntary transfer of council properties from Mendip District Council, employs 197 people across a range of jobs including:
- Housing and neighbourhood services staff who look after our tenants and work to improve the communities where our homes can be found
- Property services staff who make sure our homes are repaired and improved. Flourish Homes is due to spend just over £5 million this year on home improvements to our properties
- Care and support – more than 100 staff provide support not just to our 28 sheltered housing and extra care schemes but also the wider community through the community alarm system Mendip Helpline and our Road to Recovery and Support at Home services, ensuring that people with support needs can live as independently as possible with support on hand when they need it
The 10 Investors in People standards Flourish Homes had to demonstrate are:
- Business strategy – a strategy for improving the performance of the organisation is clearly defined and understood
- Learning and development strategy – learning and development is planned to help achieve the organisation's objectives
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People management strategy – strategies for managing people are designed to promote quality of opportunity in the development of the organisations people
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Leadership and management strategy – the capabilities managers need to lead, manage and develop people effectively are clearly defined and understood
- Management Effectiveness – managers are effective in leading, managing and developing people
- Recognition and Reward – people's contributions to the organisation are recognised and valued
- Involvement and Empowerment – people are encouraged to take ownership and responsibility by being involved in decision making
- Learning and Development – people learn and develop effectively
- Performance Measurement– investment in people improves the performance of the organisation
- Continuous Improvement – improvements are continually made to the way people are managed and developed
