Greater Manchester-based business technology solutions provider, Brother UK, has been commended for the third time by the Princess Royal Training Awards, for its dedication to developing its people.
The awards recognise employers in the UK that have created outstanding training and skills development programmes, and that can prove the value of investing in learning and development to address a wide range of business needs.
Phil Jones MBE, Managing Director of Brother UK, commented: “Learning and development is not only an ethical responsibility for leaders at every level; it’s also a commercial necessity. People are at the heart of our sustained business success and it’s fantastic that this has been recognised, once again.
“By ensuring the right people with the right skills are making the most of their talents, we have gained a competitive advantage that’s difficult to replicate. We’ve been able to successfully align strategy, culture and skills in a unique way, that has given us an edge in the market.”
The 2020 Princess Royal Training Awards assessment was completed remotely and looked at all aspects of Brother UK’s learning and development programme, against three Hallmarks of Excellence.
Brother UK used its Employee Engagement Toolkit to demonstrate that learning and development is integral to the organisation, is designed and delivered effectively and efficiently, and has an impact on the success of the organisation and its people.
Launched in early 2016, the Employee Engagement Toolkit is a multi-device digital platform allowing all 171 colleagues and their managers full access to their training and development portfolio, regardless of location, and at their own convenience aligned to the strategic objectives of the business.
There are now 121 courses on digital skills development, 86 on leadership development, 51 on sales training and 59 on soft skills training, including wellbeing, stress management and adaptation to change.
Course provision is tailored in response to employee feedback, and there are alternatives to work-based learning for those who are interested.
Phil Jones continued: “Our mantra is about growing ourselves, through growing others – that’s how we attract and retain regional talent, while also growing our customer base. Investing in our people helps improve performance, productivity and motivation, which in turn delivers real benefits for our customers.
