Achieving Family Friendly Employment

1. Achieving Family Friendly Employment

2. Aims of workshop • Understanding why part-time matters • The state of the part-time vacancy market in London • Strategies for helping low income parents • Best practice experience in changing employers attitudes • Practical support and training • Campaign opportunities

3. Why part time matters • Levels of parental employment in London: 67% compared to 76% • Main driver for child poverty • Factors: childcare, housing, competition for jobs……….and lack of quality part time jobs • Part-time preferred working pattern for most women post motherhood

4. Why part time matters (cont) • Not just women with children, but older workers and people with disabilities • 62% of part-time workers in London DON’T want full-time job • BUT fewer part-time jobs in London than rest of UK - approx 1/4 vs 1/3 in UK • AND part-time jobs which are available are LOW VALUE - 1/3 of part-time workers earn less London Living Wage vs > 10% of full-time workers

5. Why part time matters (cont) Impact: • Group with largest unemployment gap with rest of UK is lone parents (11%) • 33,000 more lone parents into work to close the gap • In work poverty - part time pay penalty - 48% of mothers on low to middle incomes downgrade. • Displacement

6. Our approach • To help everyone to find work to fit around family without devaluing role in workplace • Address supply and demand issues - social enterprise model • Supply of candidates: Careers Advice and Support

7. Our approach (cont) • Stimulate demand from employers: Timewise Jobs and Timewise Recruitment • Research and Policy • Some numbers….32,000 jobseekers, 4,200 employers, over 5,000 supported, 1,560 workless parents into work

8. London part-time vacancy market • Research to understand nature of recruitment market and how to stimulate • Existing and potential demand from employers for quality part-time roles • Explore possible ways of encouraging growth • Interviews with 1,000 employers • Quality: £20k FTE. GEO definition. approx £11 per hour, compared to £9.64 average part-time pay for women in London

9. Research findings

10. Snapshot of current vacancies 23% part time 55% 20% 77% full time

11. Huge skill/pay divide 55% f/t £20k+ 22% f/t <£20k 55% 20% p/t <£20k 20% 3% p/t £20k+ • Corresponding stigma: ‘part time not appropriate at more senior levels’

12. Not just a women’s issue Of p/t staff who previously worked f/t:

13. Not just a women’s issue Of p/t staff who previously worked f/t:

14. Why the resistance?

15. Key determinants - why resist? Senior management mindset • 9% of businesses where part-time recruitment hasn’t occurred yet have an official policy always to recruit new staff on a full time basis • 52% of such businesses have an ‘unofficial preference’ to recruit only full-time Operational imperatives of the business • Part-time and client facing?

16. Mindset is hard to shift

17. Employer mindset Part-time seen as retention not recruitment tool…to attract staff Almost half of their part-time employees started work full time…..so there was never a part-time vacancy in the first place When part-time employees leave, employers are just as likely NOT to replace the role as to recruit another part-time post……more accommodated than embraced?

18. Employer mindset (cont) • Confusion about the pros and cons of part-time recruitment ….. top 3 reasons to hire part-time also top 3 reasons NOT to hire part-time Advantages: • Flexibility • Cost efficiency • Employee commitment Disadvantages: • Inflexibility • Cost concerns • Lack of commitment

19. Influencing employers’ hiring decisions

20. What employers tell us • The first time hurdle…employers who HAVE recruited are positive - negative perceptions predominantly with those who haven’t • BUT employers don’t perceive a business need to think differently

21. What employers tell us (cont) 3 things that would change thinking: • hard evidence demonstrating business benefits • 30% want practical help in designing part-time roles • 46% would consider offering better quality part-time roles IF presented with a visible candidate pool.

22. Impact on child poverty of stimulating part-time vacancy market • Analysis of supply of candidates • Min 80,000 mothers in London not in work or earning below their skill level who DO have £20k+ FTE earning potential • And 1/4 of these would actually be lifted out of poverty if quality part-time jobs at this level existed

23. Impact on child poverty of stimulating part-time vacancy market (cont) Implications: • Latent demand from employers for part-time • Supply of skilled candidates on low incomes • Need evolution from work-first to employer-first approach ie - Influence not just service employers hiring needs - Practical advice and support - Access to candidates - Social recruitment model

24. What works: from Work-First to Employer-First • WLU employer engagement pilot. 18 months. Trust for London • Stimulate demand for quality part time jobs from employers • Match jobs to low income mothers with skills and experience Achievements • Job design helpdesk in partnership with CIPD • 100+ employers supported to re-think how they design and recruit • Estimate 20% proceeded to generate roles • 207 low income clients ( under £20k household income) access intensive job brokerage support • 43% into work • Average £12ph earnings and 25 hrs pw • 90 families over £500,000 better off • Influence mayoral campaign. 20,000 part-time jobs pledge

25. Supply of candidates What we’ve learnt: • Full range of employability support • Commissioned to deliver locally • Very much parent focussed • Support given at times to suit client • Support is tailored to the individual

26. Supply of candidates Reach and engage: • Via schools and children’s centres (bookbag leaflets, posters, information in newsletters, events) • Electronic communications and social media • Partnerships with other organisations who work with parents • Clients can self refer

27. Supply of candidates Support that works: • Most pressing needs addressed first - eg lack of confidence/CV • Mix of individual and group support • Clients needs matched to advisors’ strengths • Electronic communications and social media

28. Supply of candidates Top tips: • Understanding our clients • Carefully considering initial engagement • Encouraging responsibility • Encouraging realistic expectations • Rationed support

29. Employer Engagement - how we do it • Outreach to employers • Getting businesses to buy into part time • CSR or HR? • Business case • Practical advice and support - helpdesk • Access to candidates - recruitment offer

30. Part-time: top tips to get buy in • Research the organisation and prepare accordingly • Be clear on the business benefits & anticipate any objections • Let them know about the flexibility part-time can offer, the different types of part-time working • Give examples how part-time can offer the solution to a full time problem • Remember that job design is key

31. Part time: job design tool Where can I access the ideal candidate? Who are the stakeholders? What are their expectations? What is the market rate salary? What do you need the role to achieve? JOB DESIGN FOR FLEXIBLE SUCCESS What does my ideal candidate look like? What are the key hours? Can remote / home working be considered?

32. Part time; employer case studies…