Achieving Family Friendly Employment

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

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

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

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

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

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

London part-time vacancy market

• Research to understand nature of recruitment market and how to stimulate

• Existing and potential demand from employers for qualitypart-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

Research findings

Snapshot of current vacancies

55%

20%

77% full time

23% part time

Huge skill/pay divide

• Corresponding stigma: ‘part time not appropriate at more senior levels’

55%

20%

55% f/t £20k+

20% p/t <£20k

22% f/t <£20k

3% p/t £20k+

Not just a women’s issue

Of p/t staff who previously worked f/t:

Not just a women’s issue

Of p/t staff who previously worked f/t:

Why the resistance?

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?

Mindset is hard to shift

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?

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

Influencing employers’ hiring decisions

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Supply of candidates

Top tips:• Understanding our clients

• Carefully considering initial engagement

• Encouraging responsibility

• Encouraging realistic expectations

• Rationed support

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

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

Part time: job design tool

JOB DESIGNFOR

FLEXIBLE SUCCESS

Who are the stakeholders?What are their expectations?

What do you needthe role toachieve?

What are thekey hours?

Can remote /home workingbe considered?

What does my ideal candidate

look like?

What is the marketrate salary?

Where can I accessthe ideal candidate?

Part time; employer case studies…

Emergency service provider•Approached WLU to help increase no. of females in service in line with diversity practice•WLU recommended & delivered bespoke recruitment service•Included key events at local schools (including opp to meet existing women in service), advice from trained career counsellors, online info and advertising and leafleting to raise awareness•School events attracted 100s of women and 30 women went through to formal assessment centre

Small business •Recruited three positions through WLU / Timewise - Marketing / Comms Manager, Bookkeeper, Trainer•Recognise that women returners bring small businesses experience, reliability and total commitment.•Also recognise that WLU / Timewise does not just put employers in contact with women returners but works with them to help design part time jobs, implement flexible working practices and support them both before and after recruitment process

School•Struggling to find candidates with right experience wanting flexible hours on term-time only basis•WLU put the school in touch with network of women returners and worked closely with them to screen candidates•Candidates were handpicked and interviewed by WLU and 4 best matches were recommended•No time or resource to handle recruitment procedure internally•Recruited Finance Officer on 20 hours and Finance Administrator on 30 hours per week