Case Studies

We're proud of all of our leaders, employers and training providers developing their skills with ILM. Here's a selection of their success stories. 

St Andrew's Healthcare

Problem

St Andrew’s had a simple ambition: to enable people to work at their best.

Solution

They created a coaching community, using the ILM Level 5 Certificate and Diploma in Effective Coaching and Mentoring as their quality benchmark, to train the community of peer coaches to become fully qualified coaches, adapting and evolving the programme over the last four years to suit the changing needs of the organisation.

Impact

With three cohorts of coaches, a mentoring and reverse mentor programme and their first annual coaching conference, St Andrew’s have already seen a huge impact on performance, wellbeing, productivity and, importantly, employee happiness. Coaching has now been adopted as a core leadership style and is being embedded across the organisation.

Read the full case study

Shrewsbury School Case Study

Problem

When the COVID-19 pandemic first took the globe by storm at the beginning of 2020, one of the hardest-hit sectors was undoubtedly the education sector. While education itself would go on, it took on a one-dimensional form as all learning was banished from the classrooms, to computer screens and home-school syllabi.

As extra-murals were shelved and A-level exams cancelled, Chris Wain, Head of Futures at Shrewsbury School, took a moment to consider what could be done to ensure that pupils would continue to receive value and use their time in a positive way to achieve something new, even if it were a little different.

Solution

Not willing to let the year go to waste, the leaders at Shrewsbury School quickly sought out opportunities to keep pupils motivated, through additional course material designed to prepare them for life after school.

1. A University preparation course was developed internally, with training on topics such as independent living and preparing for university lectures
2. ILM’s Young Leaders Award programme was identified as a useful qualification that would add value to pupils at all stages of their lives

Impact 

Although the ILM Young Leaders Award was originally a contingency plan to counter the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on schooling in 2020, the school quickly recognised the value of the award, and have gone on to implement it as an optional activity, year on year.

And, with exams being cancelled yet again in 2021, Upper Sixth Formers were once again enrolled on the Shrewsbury School’s university preparation programme, as well the ILM Young Leaders Award – this time following these modules:

• Self-leadership and mentorship
• Developing leadership skills

The outcomes this year have been astounding. Sixth formers have applied what they’ve learned by offering mentorship to Fifth Form pupils on their Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ), on the ILM Young Leaders Award curriculum, as well other academic subjects.

Read the full case study

University of Wales: Trinity Saint David (UWTSD)

Problem

Employees want career progression, job security and a high salary, whilst employers want a problem-solving workforce that can lead and manage change.

Solution

Design and innovate a new university qualification that could meet the needs of both the employers and employees. It was decided to map the new UWTSD qualifications against the ILM L4 and ILM L5 Certificate in Leadership and ‘double badge’ them respectively.

Impact

As of today, over five hundred students have successfully undertaken the qualifications with the number of students increasing year on year. Ninety percent of students are in work and many other students have reported opportunities for advancement following completion of the qualifications.

Laing O'Rourke

Problem

They realised existing training programmes were not able to offer employees the flexible and agile learning they needed to achieve their goals.

Solution

A third of employees now undertake specialised ILM qualifications every year, upskilling individual learners to improve independence and productivity and in turn building the highest performing teams possible for the organisation

Impact

Clients and staff alike are more assured than ever about the service and experience they get from the organisation.

Santander

Problem

Managers felt a burden being a leader, and felt that they needed to have all of the answers to people's questions.

Solution

The ILM leadership and management programme was rolled out to over 2,000 managers. Through training, employees realised that by asking the right questions and listening, their colleagues were able to resolve their own issues. This led to a greater sense of empowerment in the team as well as better team work.

Impact

It helps reduce absenteeism and turnover. It also impacts the customers as they get real value when they visit the branches to speak to staff.

Babcock and Focus Hotels

Problem

Employers wanted qualifications that would fit around their workloads and help their career progression.

Solution

The ILM Management Apprenticeship offers a flexible approach to learning across multiple sectors using ILM’s resources such as work books and e-learning.

Impact

It helps to reduce staff turnover, encourage staff morale and reduce costs.

BAM Nuttall

Problem

Team supervisors within the construction industry were not able to deal with leadership and management issues. As a consequence, their teams lacked motivation, productivity and efficiency within their roles.

Solution

The introduction of an externally recognised construction-specific qualification and training program that offers immediate transferable skills. Employees can take the qualification during working hours, for one day per month over approximately 18 months. Sessions are built around interactive activities to keep the learners involved.

Impact

Better quality supervisors, more motivated staff, productivity and efficiency.

Fred Olsen

Problem

A more cohesive approach to learning and development was needed that catered to the needs of all levels of staff.

Solution

The ILM Management and Development programme is an internationally recognised programme that offers a coherent approach to training for all levels of employees across multiple locations. It offers a clear learning journey and skills that can be immediately applied.

Impact

Staff now have more self-confidence and faith in the management skills that they're putting into practice and sharing with their teams. The structure of the programme allows them to see a distinct growth and development journey.

Greene King

Problem

Managing risk and resilience within an organisation. Also, some people don’t take coaching seriously as they have had mixed experiences.

Solution

Working with ILM sets a clear standard for coaches. The brand strength also acts as a ‘badge of honour’ to assure people that standards have been met.

Impact

To help others within an organisation through coaching. Immediate increase of productivity, responsibility and self-confidence within a department.

Oxfordshire Youth

Problem

Employers see that leadership is lacking among young people. It’s evident when they attend interviews or when young people begin working for them as they can have all of the qualifications down on paper but they don’t know how to look people in the eye; to hold a conversation; or to follow instructions.

Solution

ILM’s young leaders programme provides practical skills around how to be a leader in the community. It gives young people the tools to be able to carry out leadership responsibilities affectively and set themselves apart in their future careers. The qualification is industry-recognised and is delivered in an accessible way for their age.

Impact

Graduates of the young leaders programme feel more confident in their leadership abilities when it comes to interacting with others, forming friendships, being proactive, and carrying out their leadership responsibilities.