Amey is the overall winner of the 2011 Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development People Management Awards

Amey, a leading UK public service infrastructure provider, is the overall winner of the 2011 Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) People Management Awards, according to a CIPD News Release issued today.

 The winners across all categories were announced at the Awards ceremony, held in London last night. Amey also won the Building HR capability Award, having shown ingenuity and innovation in the rapid transformation of their HR function to deliver significant business benefit as well as improved employee communication and collaboration.

Amey is experiencing an extended period of growth from 10,000 employees in 2009 to a predicted 35,000 by 2015. With many employees transferring in from other organisations its HR transformation needed to not only simplify that complicated process, but also reduce costs. More important, though, was the HR function's capacity to build organisational capabilities in order to achieve business objectives and drive continued growth. An emphasis on the development of the HR function itself has built commercial capability and developed project management skills. Amey has successfully implemented a number of other changes, including self service systems for non-office and older workers, and started new graduate and apprenticeship schemes.



Further improvements have included the mapping of roles with CIPD competencies, clear career paths right across the organisation and succession plans. Within HR, these improvements have been delivered alongside a reduction in HR costs of £1.6m per annum. HR has also contributed substantially to savings from organisational restructuring - including a reduction of £15m in overhead employee costs and of £0.7m in temporary labour spend in 2011. Last year the organisation delivered an increase of five per cent in profit despite client spend reductions.


Stephanie Bird, Director of HR Capability, CIPD, and chair of the judging panel for the Awards, said: "Amey has shown great insight and innovation for the sector in its work to build its HR capability in an integrated way and to deliver against a clearly understood business agenda. They have developed people in creative ways by introducing carefully targeted training and career paths for employees spanning all areas of the business, ensuring no single area could become a 'second class citizen'. They have also developed mentoring and cross-business projects. Amey's pride in delivery and willingness to take people with them in their development journey for growth has really shone through.


The HR agenda is increasingly strategic and diverse in today's competitive environment. Investing in and up-skilling the HR function against a clear agenda will not only add value, but also help to create a sustainable and successful organisation for the future."


Hugh Hood, BT, comments: "Choosing a winner from entries packed with sparkling innovation and enthusiasm was truly difficult. Ultimately Amey's edge was their crystal clear understanding of their business strategy and an approach that proactively blazed a clear line of sight to the heart and soul of that strategy. Their comprehensive approach showed a sustainable change in mindset, behaviour and capability not just within the function, but in a way that role modelled the changes that Amey needed to make."


The CIPD People Management Awards also recognise good practice in nine specific people management and development categories, four of which are new this year, as well as the Michael Kelly Outstanding Student Award. An Award was given to the winner for each category below:



• Building HR capability - Amey


• Health & wellbeing - Police Service of Northern Ireland


• Employee engagement - DB Regio Tyne and Wear Ltd


• Organisational learning - Wm Morrison Supermarket PLC


• Change management - West Midlands Fire Service


• Excellence through technology - Unilever and Silverman Research


• Performance & reward - Institution of Civil Engineers


• SME HR initiative of the year - vine HR


• Talent attraction & management - Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire Children & Voluntary Youth Services


• Michael Kelly Outstanding Student Award - Jessica Haglington, Rolls Royce plc



BT is the headline sponsor for the CIPD People Management Awards. Category sponsors include JMP, Simplyhealth and Hays.


In September Amey was Named as a Top 50 Company for Graduates. The company  was listed in TheJobCrowd’s 2011 Top Companies For Graduates To Work For index, in recognition of how well the company looks after and values its graduates, as well as offering flexibility in career development.



Amey is a leading UK public services provider with more than 11,000 staff. The company works across three main markets - Inter Urban, Local Government and Built Environment, which are supported by their award-winning consultancy division.



Amey delivers services in the highways, roads, schools, waste, rail, fleet solutions, workspace, street lighting, commercial, housing and aviation sectors. By offering a complete life-cycle solution for services, they maximise efficiencies for their customers.


jml Training and Consultancy offers a range of  Management Training Services for small to large companies and organisations. Find out more about jml Training at www.jml-training.com