Employment Minister, Chris Grayling MP, today headlines a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) round table discussion on welfare-to-work, produced in partnership with A4e. The event will cover the role HR can play in making a success of the Government’s Work Programme. The Minister will be joined by CIPD CEO, Jackie Orme; A4e CEO, Andrew Dutton; and a number of the CIPD’s senior members, as well as case study organisations.
The roundtable discussion, to take place on 16 June in central London, will explore how HR can play its part in ‘getting Britain back to work’. Good practice case study presentations from the Royal Mail and British Gas will help bring to life the business benefits of using welfare-to-work providers.
Jackie Orme, CEO, CIPD, says: “HR has a unique role to play in driving employer engagement with the welfare-to-work system. At the CIPD we think there is a genuine business case for engaging with welfare-to-work providers as they help employers tap in to an under-valued and under-utilised talent pool.
“Despite these difficult economic times, we are still finding employees struggling to find the right people, with the right attitudes and skills, to fill vacancies. Even putting aside the moral imperative to ensure everyone has the opportunity to engage in the labour market, there are real business benefits to finding ways of unlocking the enthusiasm and potential of people who’ve been deprived of the opportunity to shine.
“There is no better time than now for HR practitioners and employers to think creatively about how they use welfare-to-work providers’ services to really drive competitive edge through their people.”
Andrew Dutton, CEO, A4e, adds: “Under the Work Programme, we will be opening up employment opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people on benefits, helping them find and keep a job. At A4e, we believe in innovation, and in doing so we’re open to new solutions which really work for both employers and for the people whose lives we are hoping to change. These new solutions have built a strong business case for employers to get involved and recruit for roles through welfare to work providers; not only will they save money, but they will also grow their talent, generate a sustainable workforce and create better links with their communities.”
Chris Grayling MP, Minister for Employment adds: “I'm really pleased that the CIPD is working with us on this important initiative. If HR professionals support our Work Programme and work experience schemes it can make a real difference.”
