New guide on Managing Future Talent published as youth unemployment falls
Last week’s employment statistics, which revealed that youth unemployment fell by almost five per cent in the last quarter, have today been welcomed by the CIPD, Acas and unionlearn, as they publish a new guide for managing young people. The guide recognises the key role employers’ play in developing young talent to bridge employability gaps and skills mismatches and highlights the steps managers can take to create a culture that will give young recruits the opportunity to thrive.
Advice on how to manage young people effectively is well timed as new CIPD survey data reveals that two thirds of employers (65%) offer at least one type of employment route for young people taking their early steps on the career ladder. Furthermore, over half of employers (56%) who offer Apprenticeships have increased the number available over the last 12 months and half (50%) are offering more Traineeships, meaning that an increasing number of managers are likely to have responsibility for young employees*.
Managing Future Talent – A guide for employers outlines best practice tips from line managers working with young people across a range of sectors and in different sized organisations, including Barclays, Harrod UK Ltd and the Royal Opera House. The guide identifies how daunting the workplace can be for young people starting work for the first time and the need for managers to provide the right practical support and guidance to ensure young employees get the start they need to succeed.
Among the key tips identified in the guide, employers are advised to:
- Provide an induction to help young recruits understand their job, adapt to the organisation effectively and settle comfortably into the workplace.
- Encourage young employees to build up confidence and trust in the organisation by ensuring they have a consistent supervisor or line manager they can go to for support. Providing a young person with an additional workplace mentor can also help assist them in their overall development.
- Be clear about expectations and remember that young people may have little previous experience of adjusting to the culture of a workplace.
- Introduce new tasks gradually but do expand the responsibilities of the young employee once they are ready for a new challenge. Not every young person will be the same, some may be quicker to settle in than others.
- Provide regular feedback and opportunities for discussion. Encourage young employees to identify and develop their skills.
- Recognise talent as it emerges and provide appropriate opportunities for it to flourish.
Commenting, Katerina Rudiger, Head of Skills and Policy Campaigns at the CIPD said: “Businesses are starting to ‘get the message’ when it comes to youth unemployment. They are starting to recognise that taking on young people is an important aspect to ensuring they have a workforce best placed for success and, as a result, are offering a greater number of access routes, such as Apprenticeships. However, creating routes into the labour market is only one half of the equation. It is also crucial that when a young worker first enters the workplace, the experience sets them up for a long and successful career. Our Learning to Work programme has revealed that the role of the line manager is particularly important in helping young employees transition from education to work and our guide is a great starting point for all employers; it’s in their best interests to see their workforce thrive.”
Gill Dix, Head of Strategy at Acas said: “As more employers start to take on young people who are new to the world of work, it is crucial that those employment relationships are well managed. Acas research, published last year, shows that when inexperienced workers are welcomed and supported by employers this can have a really positive impact for both the individual and the business. Line managers have a key role to play in creating working environments where young people are able to learn, develop, progress and contribute creatively to their organisation. Employers and managers also need to be confident so that they can take on young workers and manage an age-diverse workforce in ways that will reap business rewards. This new guide – which draws on the challenges and successes of managers and employees across a wide range of sectors and organisations, as well as the combined expertise of Acas, the CIPD and unionlearn – will therefore provide a welcome resource for employers at this important time when youth employment may be starting to turn the corner.”
Director of unionlearn Tom Wilson said: “Young people were hardest hit during the recent recession, and have benefitted least from the recent recovery in the jobs market. Too many employers stigmatise young people looking for work and miss out on highly skilled and enthusiastic new staff as a result.
“This guide should allay many of the fears employers have about taking on young people. Simple steps such as proper inductions, workplace mentors and access to training will help new young recruits get to grips with their new responsibilities at work, and help employers get the most out of their staff.
“The tens of thousands of union learning reps in workplaces across the UK are perfectly placed to provide the kind of peer-to-peer support that young workers benefit from.”
The guide has been produced as part of Learning to Work, an action focused programme led by the CIPD to promote the role of employers in reducing youth unemployment. To find out more visit: www.cipd.co.uk/learningtowork. The CIPD has also partnered with Skills CFA on a Higher Apprenticeship in HR Management, launched last year to provide a new access route for young people joining the profession. To find out more visit www.cipd.co.uk/HR-apprenticeships
*The data is taken from a currently unpublished survey of 1,000 UK employers, conducted by YouGov on behalf of the CIPD in November 2013. For a copy of the data tables please contact press@cipd.co.uk
