Training Synergy investment in its staff pays off for all concerned

Training Synergy, the training solutions provider which holds ‘investor in people’ (IIP) accreditation and ISO 9001:2000 quality management certification, is developing its corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy and encouraging some novel CSR activities from its staff.

According to Training Synergy director, David Field, Training Synergy’s CSR policy demonstrates its strong commitment to its staff and to its local communities. He explained: “Each member of our staff is entitled to three days off work, with pay, each year in order to take part in CSR-related activities.”

Training Synergy supports a range of CSR activities involving its staff, including:
• Being actively involved in helping to maintain local historical sites.
• Visiting schools and acting as classroom volunteers to help children learn to read.
• Fundraising activities for various charities and good causes.

“This is only part of our policy of investment in our staff,” said Field, who added that the policy includes allowing each of Training Synergy’s employees access to at least £700 of training courses in 2006.

“We’ve also invested heavily in office facilities and the latest ergonomically designed office furniture,” he continued. “And we’ve installed a ‘break out’ area, complete with sofas, television, pool table and table tennis table.

“Our staff work flexible hours and access to home working. In addition, we operate ‘family friendly’ policies for employees who are also looking after children.”

Training Synergy’s managing director, Daniel Hanlon, commented: “All of this is designed not only to make us an exemplary modern day employer but also to attract and retain high quality staff. And we seem to be succeeding, given our recent results – which enabled Training Synergy to achieve 15th place in 2006’s list of the ‘Top 50 IT training companies’, compiled by market analysts IT Skills Research.

“We are creating a positive working environment so that we can bring the best out of our employees and give them a stress-reduced and enjoyable office environment,” he said.

“We’re also extending this approach to our professional freelance contractors,” Hanlon added. “This means giving them the benefit of regular social events, personal development opportunities, as well as advice and guidance on such things as career development, CVs and legal matters.

“Our business model is not purely sales and profit related. We are keen to invest in improving our staff’s quality of life at work, recognising – as any training solutions provider should do - that people are our greatest assets,” said Hanlon.

Training Synergy’s David Field added: “Unusually for a company that operates in the IT industry, women comprise some 70 per cent of our 120-strong workforce. Our approach – of emphasising the work-life balance, along with the importance we attach to our CSR policy, including our commitment to actively supporting charities – is highly popular with our staff.

“This has not only improved staff morale but we have also noticed a 20 per cent increase in worker efficiency and productivity since we have put these policies in place,” he added.

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Notes for Editors:

About Training Synergy
With over 300 training personnel working on projects across the UK at any one time and a turnover in excess of £10m, Training Synergy - part of the Synergy Group, formed in 1997 and now with an annual turnover of some £40m - is one of the UK’s largest training solutions providers. Training Synergy delivers some 40,000 training days a year and has 7,000 trainers on its database.

Training Synergy provides a range of training services to support all types and size of training programme, from initial consulting right through to project-managed implementation. It also provides logistics and logistical services to support clients’ ongoing training needs.

Its clients include IBM, EDS, Getronics, Unisys, Accenture and Atos Origin.

Training Synergy was placed 15th in this year’s list of the ‘Top 50 IT training companies’, compiled by market analysts IT Skills Research.

Further Information from:
Daniel Hanlon / David Field, Training Synergy, 0800 072 5900 or 020 7556 1140 /1141;
www.trainingsynergy.com
Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR, 01727 860405; www.boblittlepr.com