DTI Launches Visits to Information and Consultation Champions

Consulting employees on issues that matter most is at the heart of a company visits scheme being launched by the DTI today.

HR professionals and managers are being invited to visit companies around the country to see first-hand how they have benefited from implementing systems to inform and consult their employees.

The scheme is part of a wider campaign to encourage the development and improvement of employee involvement practices and follows the introduction of new laws in 2005 to encourage employers to inform and consult employees on issues that affect them.


Around 20,000 businesses will be invited to take part in the scheme and a new website will provide supporting information including case studies and frequently asked questions on Information and Consultation.

Employment Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said:

ìEmployees have the right to be informed and consulted on a regular basis about issues in the organisation they work for.

ìThe government sees employee involvement as integral to positive company cultures where employees and employers discuss common ground and find solutions to problems.

ìInformation and Consultation is not a ëfeel goodí optional extra. Good consultation makes a real difference to both the welfare of employees and the productivity of business. These visits will give companies the opportunity to see the benefits for themselves and understand how best to operate excellent employee involvement practices in their workplaces.î

A new poll of companies for the DTI has revealed that:

95% believe ìinvolving, informing and consulting with staff on a regular basis would be a good thing for their organisationî. Frequently cited benefits included improved work environment, a boost in staff motivation and morale, and improved communications;

97% admit they could do more to involve their staff; and,
73% claim to have some degree of formal information and consultation arrangements set up to communicate with employees.

The process is supported by a range of bodies such as the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the Engineering Employers Federation (EEF), the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).