Ayming launches People, Performance and Development practice

International innovation and performance consultancy Ayming has launched a People, Performance and Development business line. With attitudes to performance and development changing in the wake of the pandemic, the practice will help clients adapt to the shifting priorities of employees.

After two years of home-working and making personal and professional sacrifices for the sake of their employers amid the global pandemic, many members of the workforce have re-evaluated what they expect from their bosses. After a period in which their efforts have been shown so overtly to be crucial for the success of the companies they work for, a growing chunk of the labour market is substantially less willing to settle for ‘business as usual.’

As a result, job vacancies in the UK are reaching a record high, while 63% of mid-sized businesses are now reporting unprecedented attrition rates. Amid this, companies are increasingly concerned that the shifting attitudes of workers may impact their ability to bounce back from the Covid-19 recession.

Businesses are increasingly turning to consultants for help adapting their recruitment and retention strategies, and due to this spike in demand, Ayming has founded a new business line. The performance and innovation advisory firm has rolled out a People, Performance and Development (PPD) wing, aimed at supporting organisational change, effective leadership and performance optimisation. 

“For me, it comes down to Ayming practising what we’ve preached for years”, said Martin Hook, Managing Partner at Ayming. “We really see this as innovation in a slightly different form to what people traditionally think of, and therefore see a huge cross-over with our existing services.”

On top of heightened expectations around pay and conditions, employers are also having to contend with demand that they take ‘purpose’ more seriously. Particularly among younger generations, workers are increasingly likely to walk away from employers who fail to live up to higher standards of environment, social and governance practices.

Helping meet such demands, Ayming’s new PPD team, which includes the recently appointed ex-England netball captain Serena Guthrie, devises bespoke programmes delivered over a sustained period and tailored to a businesses’ culture and particular objectives, whether that be attracting talent, improving diversity and inclusion, or supporting those returning to work following time off.

Scott Ward, Partner of the new practice, “The market is reacting to a problem and seeking a reactive wellbeing provision, but the truth is, there’s no silver bullet, and lots of businesses are still looking for answers. Unfortunately, how our economy works means most big organisations follow the same top-down processes that have always characterised traditional management structures. The first step to optimising performance is realising that a business’ most important asset is its people and showing true leadership by demonstrating self-evaluation, empathy and vulnerability.”

According to a release from the firm, Ayming has always placed a lot of emphasis internally on individual and team development, which has informed the development of its PPD offering. The launch also brings Ayming’s UK business in line with its continental offering – Ayming already has an established HR consulting practice in France and other international markets.