Members will be aware of the issues that the SIP is to address. From an employee's viewpoint the benefits are around developing assurance and risk management skills and methodology using modern audit tools and better positioning the role of Internal Audit within BT.
A key aim of the people workstream is to clarify the skills gap in Internal Audit and so far as possible to grow and develop the skills internally. It is recognised that professional accountancy skills will need to be brought in from outside, but virtually all others are expected to be grown from within the Internal Audit workforce, through training, development and supportive team coaching and sharing of skills and experience.

Senior management and HR are keen to approach the change in as least disruptive way as possible. Prospect has received confirmation that there is no intention to reduce numbers in Internal Audit. Whilst there may be a change in the mix of roles, the clear intention is to ensure so far as possible that IA professionals are given opportunities to develop into the new roles created so as to avoid the need to create a redeployee pool.

We have been reassured that there is no intention to review the existing Reward Framework job families. The hope is that there will be greater consistency introduced into the organisational structure which should provide more balanced workloads.

Prospect has been encouraged by the willingness of IA senior managers to engage the union and its members in productive discussion. James Whittaker [email protected], a Prospect lay representative, and one of your colleagues, will be involved in meetings with the Company. Both IA senior managers and the union are keen to understand your thoughts and concerns about ways in which IA can develop into the organisation it needs to be and ensure its professionals and managers are able to benefit from the professional development opportunities.