In October 2018, the Movement to Work team attended the Celebration of Talent Match London

On Tuesday 9^th October, the Movement to Work team travelled to Diageo global headquarters in North West London to attend the London Youth’s Celebration Event for their employability programme, Talent Match London. From the top floor of the building, the setting sun lit up the glorious arches of Wembley and momentarily turned North London into honey before the audience took their seats on the conference floor. The night was a celebration of the impressive achievements of over 2,500 young people who had passed through the London Youth programme over the past five years; picking up skills, ambition, and pathways to a career along the way. It was also a celebration of the employers and mentors who had helped facilitate this transformation of young people and provided them with opportunities.

The evening was filled with inspiring stories of young people who had overcome great hardship and struggle, but despite this had begun to realise their potential through gaining employability skills.

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Movement to Work’s David Holmes, Head of Partnership Development on why embracing diversity is good for business.

Last week, I compered a panel on why embracing diversity is good for business, at KellyOCG’s Talent Leadership in Action event. The powerful stories from the panel and levels of engagement from the corporates in the audience were truly inspirational.

Championing the importance of diverse and inclusive workplaces and celebrating compelling personal success stories, often in the face of adversity, that ultimately lead to enhanced business performance, have been common themes that have emerged throughout my secondment to Movement to Work.

Tuesday’s panel was made up of Movement to Work graduates and partners; Anastacia Jamfrey, now working at BAE Systems, Jordyn Macdonald, from British Gas and Irfan Ayub, from Berkeley Homes. Also included was Ray Coyle, Chief Executive of Auticon, an IT and compliance consulting business whose consultants are all on the autism spectrum. 

It was inspiring to hear how Movement to Work had proved to be the turning point and provided a launchpad for these young people to embark on their careers. Anastacia described how she had become a mother at the age of 16 and had spent long periods unemployed, until she came across Movement to Work and started a placement at BAE Systems, which led to an apprenticeship.

Anastacia said “Whilst inclusion isn’t just about more women in engineering, I can’t remember how many times I’ve heard girls I talk to say they’ve been told they should be hairdressers or work with children.” Movement to Work can be the facilitator to drive change and allow business to have a positive impact in the areas where they are located. Anastacia reflected on her achievement, “I’ve no STEM qualifications but because BAE Systems got to see me operating in the workplace, I now work in the engineering sector and have become a passionate STEM ambassador.”

Jordyn left school and become homeless at 17, so it wasn’t surprising that it was difficult for her to find employment. Eventually, she started a work placement with British Gas and went on to secure a customer service apprenticeship. Through Movement to Work, Jordyn met Anne Milton, the Minister of State for Education: “I told her what had happened to me. It got quite emotional but there was no doubt that by the time I left Anne supported what Movement to Work is doing.”

Irfan had been exposed to criminal activities from an early age and had been expelled from school with no qualifications. He found a work placement through Street Elite, the youth development initiative that uses sport and mentoring to motivate young people. Irfan echoed what Anastacia had said about the opportunity provided by Movement to Work, “I’m in a job where my colleagues must have degrees. I’ve no qualifications on paper but by being seen first-hand in the workplace, it meant I didn’t need them. More employers must recruit this way.”

Ray described the tangible business benefits of neurodiversity; Auticon consultants have abilities that set them apart from others. They have a genuine awareness for quality, outstanding attention to detail and intuitively recognise novel patterns in complex quantities of data. Yet so many of them had found it hard to find work that suits their abilities, with only 17% of autistic adults in paid full-time employment. In an earlier session, Ray had described discovering one consultant who had worked on some of CERN’s most complex projects: “When he returned to the UK, we found that he’d ended up delivering pizzas.”

Hearing first-hand from the panellists, the thing that resonated with me the most, was at some point in our lives, whether it be personally or professionally, we have all been reliant on being presented with an opportunity. For young people such as Anastacia, Irfan and Jordyn, who have faced challenges getting into employment, Movement to Work provided that life-changing opportunity.

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Every year BT supports a variety of young people into employment. Some come needing work experience and a final polish of their CV, whereas others need help to build confidence and aspiration as well as employability skills.

The journey to sustained employment begins long before they set foot ton an employer-led programme; that’s why BT is working with the Rio Ferdinand Foundation (RFF) to create a pathway for hard-to-reach young people, from grass-roots engagement to work experience and vocational training. It’s a partnership that capitalises on the strengths of both organisations. The RFF’s tried and-tested outreach and youth development programme is one that has the needs of young people at its heart. They work with them on their home turf, building confidence and skills through sports, arts and media pathways, and broadening horizons by exposing them to new experiences.

The RFF team knows when the young people are ready to take their next steps. They are invited to get a taste of BT at a one-day skills for work boot camp. If they like what they see, they’ll then join us for a three-week work placement. They’ll be part of a group participating in a mix of classroom based skills development, hands on work experience, mock interviews and practical application support. Post-programme both teams work together to help the young people into sustained employment.

Gary Stannett MBE, CEO of the Rio Ferdinand Foundation says “At the Foundation we know that our programme of sports and cultural activities can build confidence and skills in young people, but it is partnerships with employers such as BT that can provide a crucial bridge into the world of work in a supportive and creative environment. Our work with BT to date has been a great success and we look forward to taking our collective work forward in the future.”

At BT, we’re committed to helping as many young people as possible enter the world of work, and to ensure regardless of background, ability or past achievement they are supported into the role that’s right for them. To date over 3,200 have joined us for a placement. You can find out more about BT’s work ready programme at www.bt.com/workready.

Making a difference to those furthest from employment In June we held our annual forum in Leicester – we had a fantastic turnout, with more than 110 attendee from over 70 organisations present. It was a landmark event for Movement to Work, made by the passion and enthusiasm of our members.

The day focused around making a difference to those furthest from employment, to better understand how we can engage and support those young people who face the greatest barriers to entering the workplace. We looked beyond work placements and heard from pioneers across the sector who are innovating to make a difference.

Highlights included: discussion of youth-friendly recruitment practices; return on investment of work placements; adjustments employers can make to support those with disabilities including what we mean by ‘hidden’ disabilities; and driving social mobility by working with grassroots organisations. Young people were at the heart of the event with two current Talent Match participants on each table, and attendees were asked to make a commitment to action at the end of the day.

As part of the event we were delighted to welcome Laura Gibbon from Youth Employment UK to talk about their Youth-Friendly Employer Award.

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The moral imperative and commercial benefit of D&I

Our Head of Insight & Innovations, Robi Sol Elsawey, reflects on the positive impact work placements have on diversity and inclusion.

As a BAME woman who grew up in one of the more socio-economically deprived areas in London, I’m acutely aware of the correlation between those in a ‘minority’ and lack of opportunity. The difficult truth has hit home at points in my career, more so since joining Movement to Work – there is still a diversity problem across the board, with unconscious bias creating pockets of exclusion for young people both when accessing, and once in, the workplace.

According to the latest Labour Force Survey, 16-24 year olds with disabilities were around three times more likely not to be in employment, education or training, and the recent Race Disparity Audit found that adults from a Black, Pakistani, Bangladeshi or Mixed background were two and a half times more likely to be unemployed, compared with those from a White British background. There’s a moral imperative for us to do more to drive diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

Critically, the arguments for increasing opportunities for unemployed young people transcend a social good; it makes sense for business, too.There are multiple studies that suggest that greater diversity and inclusion has a positive impact across the business – from faster problem solving (HBR, 2017), to higher return on equity and better financial performance (McKinsey, 2012). It also drives engagement and feelings of inclusion amongst employees (Deloitte, 2013).

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How do you make sure the campaign for greater diversity and inclusion in the workplace is no longer about preaching to the converted, but converting the quiet sceptics – and actually delivering change?

It was a question CBI Director-General Carolyn Fairbairn put to a packed room at the CBI’s Inclusion Conference. And the answers came throughout the morning, with practical examples of how individual businesses were changing their approach to recruitment, progression and workplace culture – and feeling the benefits.

Here is just some of the advice that was on offer:

1. Unless there is leadership, things will not change

And on this, actions speak louder than words.

“Everyone is a role model,” said Jacqueline de Rojas, President of TechUK, arguing that people needed to take action as individuals, rather than hide behind strategy. 

“If you don’t change the profile at the top, it won’t move elsewhere in the organisation,” added Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive at Diageo. There, change started with global employee research that came back with a consistent perception that you had to be white and male to succeed in the business.

2. Measurement and targets are important

You need to start by being honest about where you are on diversity and inclusion, agreed Andy Briggs, CEO of UK Insurance at Aviva.

Targets then help to focus efforts. Virgin Money has promised it will have a gender balanced workforce by 2020, for example, and Accenture has committed to do the same, globally, by 2025.

John Lewis, meanwhile, has declared its ambition to be Britain’s healthiest workplace. Importantly, this includes mental health. “We’ve no idea how,” said the company’s Partnership Registrar Rory Campbell. “But it’s the ambition that matters.”

3. Competition will help to drive change

When targets – or intentions – are made public, it’s another criteria top talent will use to judge rival firms, and that matters with current skills shortages. The Women in Finance Charter, for example, is injecting a bit of healthy competition between financial services firms, said Emily Cox, Head of Public Affairs at Virgin Money.

A good reputation on diversity and inclusion can help secure contracts too, said Emma Tolhurst, Employer Brand Lead Europe at Accenture. This can work both ways – as larger firms can use their procurement processes to ensure it’s high on their suppliers’ agenda too, she added.

4. Employee networks can be enormously powerful

Existing employees can drive change from the bottom up too when they don’t tolerate the status quo, said Tulsi Naidu, CEO of Zurich UK. She pointed to the “frozen middle” as the cause of the slow pace of progress.

“Action from the top is not enough,” she said, adding that it is visibility, not logic, that will make the difference.

5. When you can’t find the skills you need, widen the pool you’re looking in

The ideas here were wide ranging – including law firm (and host for the conference) Simmons & Simmons challenging itself on recruiting from broader socio-economic backgrounds; Diageo’s Ivan Menezes urging more employers to join Movement to Work to help more young people fulfil their potential; and Aviva’s Andy Briggs championing older workers.

Emma Walton, Head of People at Greggs, said their Fresh Start programmes – helping veterans, prisoners or long-term unemployed into jobs – have contributed around 8 per cent of its current workforce. With an 83 per cent retention rate, and a large number of participants progressing into management positions, she emphasised their loyalty and hard work.

Walton added that such programmes did not have to be resource heavy either.

6. Don’t miss talent because of your recruitment processes

Panellists, including BCMS Marketing Director Dr Liz Jackson and Hyden Talent’s Managing Director Joanna Abeyie, highlighted examples of recruitment processes that inadvertently posed barriers to those with disabilities or from different backgrounds.

Small changes such as offering alternative ways of submitting applications, and assessing candidates based on skills and competencies, rather than background and experience, can make a big difference, they said.

Offering flexible working upfront in a job ad – or even offering to match any informal flexible working patterns candidates have with existing employers – will also serve to attract talent otherwise unable, or too nervous, to apply.

7. Think flexible working, rather than part-time

Attitudes to flexible working still lag behind where they should be – especially when it’s so important to younger generations, explained Natalie Gill, Programme Director at Timewise.

It also shouldn’t stand in the way of progression, argued Aviva’s Briggs, highlighting how Will McDonald and Sam White share the role of Group Director of Public Policy & Sustainability at the company – and act as role models for the rest of the organisation.

8. Put your money where your mouth is

Briggs also talked about the importance of offering equal parental pay to mums and dads – and in an argument echoed by Accenture’s Emma Tolhurst insisted that without it progress in getting men to take up the opportunity of shared parental leave would remain glacial.

9. Be proactive on diversity, don’t wait until you have a job vacancy

Fostering inclusive workplaces can’t be a tick box exercise that’s only relevant each time you recruit, said Hyden Talent’s Joanna Abeyie. She went on to explain that companies shouldn’t just rely on established development schemes.

“Coach and mentor the individuals you believe have potential so they are ready when the right promotion comes up,” she said.

10. Lose the stigma around mental health

Mental health best practice is now something discussed far more than it used to be. And Fiona Cannon, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Lloyds Banking Group, said it’s also an issue that affects everyone at one time or another.

Business has an influential role to play in raising awareness, as well as in creating a safe and open environment so people can talk about the issues they are experiencing, she said.

11. Stand back and ask yourself if your workplace is a happy place

Bruce Daisley, Twitter’s EMEA vice president, gave an engaging presentation to highlight that everyone needed to be able to bring their whole selves to work in order to be awake at work. Emphasising that stress is the enemy to creativity, he urged employers to create space for employees to come together and exchange ideas – as well as to take a break from the daily grind.

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Research by our member, IHG, shows that many young people aren’t aware of the diverse career opportunities in hospitality.

New research has revealed that less than a quarter of young Brits would consider a career in hospitality, with almost one in three (26%) admitting they didn’t see it as an industry to work in after obtaining a degree.

The survey of 1,000 Brits aged 16 to 21, conducted by IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), found that young people were unaware of the full range of roles available in hospitality, even though flexible working hours (40%), career progression (36%) and the ability to travel (29%) rated as important factors in their ideal job – all of which are key features of a career in hospitality.

One in five respondents (19%) admitted they weren’t aware a career in hospitality could lead to roles that span design, engineering, finance, HR, law and marketing and more than a quarter (26%) thought working in a hotel mainly entailed dealing with a difficult guest.

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