Member Article

Law firm earns IIP status for 19th year

Sheffield based Wake Smith Solicitors has retained the coveted IIP (Investors In People) Standard for the 19th year based on its staff management, quality of workplace and career progression systems.

The IIP Standard explores practices and outcomes within an organisation under three performance headings: leading, supporting and improving and is underpinned by rigorous assessment and a framework to reflect the very latest workplace trends, essential skills and effective management.

Wake Smith first gained accreditation to the IIP Standard in 1998 after establishing distinct paths of career progression and support for its employees and satisfying the external auditors that it provides a beneficial work environment and is able to deliver excellent management and development of its staff.

The company, which moved staff from its two original offices into one state-of-the-art city-centre building last year, employs 100 people and provides legal services for businesses and individuals.

Nick Lambert, chairman at Wake Smith, said: “We are delighted that our IIP Standard has been renewed once more and this is testament to the work that all of our divisions put into looking after their individual team members and collectively creating a good working atmosphere.

“We have high staff retention rates here which also goes to support the IIP Standard, but it was good to hear some of the feedback garnered during the IIP audit, where staff had praised the office move as being’handled exceptionally’ and that it went smoothly and to everyone’s satisfaction.

“This was a huge concern to us because it has been such a monumental change for everyone to leave long-standing desk spaces and to amalgamate under one roof in an open-plan environment.

“Not only are we keeping our existing staff happy, we are now at a period of growth which is attracting a very high calibre of new recruits to areas such as commercial property and wills and probate.”

Investors in People is an internationally recognised accreditation held by 14,000 organisations across the world and has set the standard for better people management.

Testimonials from staff at Wake Smith included praise for the company’s recent values project, which took feedback from all staff on specific values they wanted to see represented by the firm.

The IIP audit indicated that ‘There is a strong culture of reward and recognition at Wake Smith’ with staff feedback highlighting how staff feel well cared for and rewarded, with regular social events and rewards for specific achievements.

Nick added: “We like to involve staff at all levels to engage with managers so we operate an open door policy, it is very important to us that employees feel part of the decision making process at this firm, we want everyone here to have a vested interest in their future and the future of the business.”

Wake Smith Solicitors is more than 200 years old and is one of the most established independent law firms in South Yorkshire, with a large client base covering Company Commercial, Litigation, Personal and Family Law and Commercial Property among other disciplines.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by iain .