ROYAL Dornoch Golf Club (RDGC) is celebrating regaining its Investors in People (IIP) status.
The club heard in early January that it had successfully attained the nationally recognised quality standard.
The IIP scheme is run by IIP Scotland, a subsidiary of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Developed over 18 years, it is a business improvement tool aimed at helping organisations get the best out of their employees.
RDGC general manager Neil Hampton said winning back the IIP status had been one of his main aims when he first took office in July 2010.The club originally received the award in 2001 and held it for eight years, but then in 2009 failed to reach the level required.
Mr Hampton explained: "The club was given an action plan at that point but due to a changeover of staff – former manager John Duncan retired and Mike Thomas served as a temporary manager for a while before I was appointed – the plan was never implemented.
"When I arrived in 2010, one of my main targets was to get back our full IIP status."
He revealed that the club had to undertake a "tower of work" before IIP assessors were satisfied.
A new business and development plan was put in place along with a training plan. A new staff handbook was developed and communication improved within the organisation. Staff performance and development reviews were also conducted.
In addition, an IIP consultant interviewed around 20 per cent of the staff including club president Dennis Bethune, captain Hamish Macrae, and other members of the council of management, caddies, pro staff and office staff.
"The staff really bought into this and were very much at the forefront of achieving the award. They could all see the benefits of it," said Mr Hampton.
The club have achieved a standard IIP grade and can work towards upgrading it to bronze, silver or gold. The status is reviewed every three years.
Continued Mr Hampton: "We’ve drawn up an action plan with the help of
our IIP consultant and we will
working through the next stage of development."
IIP Scotland chairman Linda Urquhart, in a letter to the club, praised the "real commitment" staff had shown.
