As part of the company’s investment in skills development, team leaders and managers receive formal management training leading to ILM qualifications.

Lynn Jones, HR Manager, explains: “We were looking for a broad-based programme that would improve business performance by giving employees the right management tools for their jobs. We chose to work with THE Group, who offered us a bespoke, ‘bottom-up’ approach, unlike other training companies who only had ‘off-the-shelf’ packages.”

Wockhardt UK is now in its fifth year of ILM training. Between 10 and 12 employees take the course each year from all parts of the company.

Twenty-five staff have completed ILM level 3 awards with many more in the process of doing so. Some have continued with further training and one employee has achieved the ILM Diploma in First Line Management.

Lynn continued, “As the barriers come down, teamwork and communication skills are enhanced. People’s eyes are opened to different ways of working and they become more receptive to change. We know it works because managers’ appraisals point to big improvements.”