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More than 50% of UK job hunters have experienced discrimination

Discrimination worsens after hiring

In a survey conducted late last year, Remote surveyed 1,250 hiring managers and business owners across the UK, US, Canada, Germany, and France to learn more about diversity and inclusion in the hiring process in 2022.

According to the research, 49% of job hunters have experienced discrimination during the hiring process for a new job. A further 52% said they had witnessed this sort of discrimination.

The survey looked at the percentage of employees that have experienced discrimination in the hiring process across the US, France, the UK, Germany, and Canada:

  • United States – 56%
  • France – 54%
  • United Kingdom – 50%
  • Germany – 48%
  • Canada – 36%

Across all countries surveyed, the research revealed that discrimination occurs more against male applicants (52%) than female applicants (44%).

Young people (18-24) are the most vulnerable to, or observant of, workplace discrimination. Two-thirds (69.23%) of applicants in this age group have experienced discrimination in the hiring process.

The investigation also found that discrimination becomes more prevalent after the hiring process. Fifty-five percent of employees said they had experienced workplace discrimination, and 59% said they had witnessed it.

The survey looked at the percentage of employees that have experienced discrimination across the US, France, the UK, Germany, and Canada:

  • United Kingdom – 59%
  • Germany – 59%
  • France – 55%
  • United States – 54%
  • Canada – 46%

When looking at the practices that organisations use to promote diversity and inclusion in their hiring processes, the survey found that the most popular offerings are:

  • Offering workplace flexibility – 23%
  • Acknowledging holidays of all cultures – 21%
  • Providing awareness training and implementing diversity and inclusion policies for HR or People teams and hiring managers – 20%
  • Implementing scorecards to support managing bias during the hiring process – 20%
  • Advertising roles through new channels that target diverse candidates – 19%

Inclusive hiring practices are essential to the success of any organisation and influence their ability to attract and retain top talent, build a positive work environment, foster a rich company culture, improve productivity, and increase creativity and innovation.

By prioritising diversity and inclusion, organisations ensure they can take advantage of the workforce’s full potential and build a more inclusive environment.

On the other hand, without these practices, organisations risk missing out on sources of innovation and creativity.

Thirty-six percent of UK employers and hiring managers said that managing inequitable inclusion (the concept that diversity means different things to different people) is the biggest challenge.

Following this, 35% said that communication issues relating to language barriers, slang, colloquialisms, and cultural misunderstandings are challenging.

Time to train employees about different ways of thinking and approaching a scenario is the third most common challenge at 34%.

 

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Apple cuts down on job postings

A conservative hiring strategy emerges for tech giant  

New research from data and analytics company, GlobalData, has revealed that Apple is adopting a conservative hiring strategy. According to the research, the tech giant cut down job postings by 11% last year.

While so many tech companies have announced layoffs, Apple Inc (Apple) is proving to be the exception, with its conservative hiring strategy.

Looking at global figures, Apple’s job postings in China declined by 30% in 2022. The US registered an 8% decline. On the other hand, markets in Taiwan, Mexico, Switzerland, Turkey, and Sweden witnessed growth in job postings.

GlobalData’s Job Analytics Database showed that Apple’s focus areas include artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation, sales, wireless systems, 4G/5G/6G, and iOS/android. In addition, several job postings also revealed that Apple is focusing on improving its supply chain.

Sherla Sriprada, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Apple has not announced any layoffs recently but is being selective in its hiring process with focus on key areas and geographies, which can be attributed to various factors such as its financial performance and strategic priorities. In contrast, Alphabet Inc (Google), which announced layoffs in January 2023, had its job postings increase by 13% in 2022 over 2021.”

 “Apple has a reputation for prioritizing its employees. As a result, layoffs may not be seen as the preferred solution for the company, even in times of economic uncertainty. The company may have decided to prioritize investment in research and development, or to focus on expanding its product offerings, rather than cutting costs through layoffs.”

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Only 4% of employers spend full apprenticeship levy funding

£3.5b funding nationally allocated to levy-paying employers expired

Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week, new research from  City & Guilds, the skills development organisation together withworkplace learning advocates The 5% Club, has revealed that the government’s apprenticeship levy is not working as it should.

Levy-paying employers are using around 55.5% of available funds and only 4% have used their full levy funding in the last five years – meaning nearly half of the generated funding has not been used by levy-paying employers and risks going to waste.

The City & Guilds and The 5% Club are calling on the Government to reform the apprenticeship levy system to a 50:50 model – with half of funding ring-fenced for apprenticeships, and half freed up for businesses to use to meet their skills needs in a more flexible way.

According to the findings, a staggering 96% of UK businesses want to see changes made to the levy while the Freedom of Industry (FOI) found that £3.5b funding nationally allocated to levy-paying employers has expired! (FY 2017-18 and FY 2012-22).

Despite the research revealing that only 15% of businesses can recruit the skilled people they need, employers are facing barriers to accessing levy funds which could help to fill skills shortages. According to City & Guilds’ research, carried out amongst 1,000 HR leaders at UK levy-paying business, of those who haven’t used all of their levy funds, 94% report facing at least one barrier to accessing it.

18% say access involves too much bureaucracy or administration

17% state a lack of time to invest

19% cannot commit to the length of time an apprenticeship takes to complete.

Kirstie Donnelly, CEO of City & Guilds, said: “Apprenticeships are a valuable recruitment and retention tool but, the current system is just not working for them, leading to large sums of funding intended for the levy instead going back to the Treasury because they cannot be used, all this at a time of such acute skills gaps and shortages.”

Mark Cameron, CEO of the 5% Club, also commented: “This report provides further evidence on where the system works, where it is challenged and those areas that should be protected and improved.”

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The best cities for work revealed

Milton Keynes, Oxford, and York top the list

Milton Keynes, Oxford, York, St Albans, and Norwich have the best job opportunities. This is according to new research from HR software provider Ciphr.

The research looked at 50 cities across the country and compared factors such as their average earnings, recent salary growth, employment rate changes, unemployment rate, number of job listings, SME density, life satisfaction, happiness scores, and housing affordability.

Based on their research, they arrived at the top 15 cities that offer the best employment opportunities for job hunters or people looking for a change of career:

  • Milton Keynes (#1 for job opportunities)
  • Oxford (#1 for employment rate growth and happiness)
  • York
  • St Albans (#1 for highest average salary and lowest unemployment rate)
  • Norwich
  • Cambridge (#1 for job listings per person)
  • Colchester (#1 for salary growth)
  • Aberdeen
  • Bristol
  • Coventry
  • Leeds
  • Canterbury (#1 for life satisfaction)
  • Gloucester
  • Doncaster (#1 for housing affordability)
  • Wrexham

Top paying cities

  • St Albans with an average full-time salary of £46,551. (41% above the UK average)
  • London, with an average salary of £39,391
  • Cambridge
  • Milton Keynes
  • Oxford

Top cities for inflation-beating salary growth

  • Colchester (12.9%)
  • Chichester (12.1%)
  • Wrexham (11.5%)
  • Salford (11.2%)
  • Portsmouth (10.7%)

The average salaries in these cities are all around the UK average of £33,000.

Best cities for job seekers

  • Cambridge (396 job postings per 10,000 working-age people)
  • Exeter (373)
  • Bristol (326)
  • Manchester (318)
  • Oxford (289)
  • Norwich (286)
  • Nottingham (272)
  • Gloucester (259)
  • Preston (247)
  • York (229).

The UK average is 183 postings per 10,000 working-age people.

Most affordable cities to buy or rent

A city’s level of affordability is an important consideration, especially with the current cost-of-living crisis. The midlands or north of England – Doncaster, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Hull, and Bradford topped the list.

London, Oxford, Brighton and Hove, Cambridge, Bristol, and Winchester were at the other end of the scale, with housing being the least affordable compared to the average salary.

For renters, the best city is Hull, as the average rent is around 20% of the average salary. On the other hand, the most expensive city is Edinburgh, with a rent-to-income ratio of 46%.

The best city for home buyers is Belfast.  The average property price of £156,161 is 5.2 times the average income. In comparison, London has an average property price of £743,738  – 18.9 times the average salary.

The UK’s happiest cities

  • According to the Office for National Statistics’ latest annual personal well-being survey results, the following cities topped the list with an average score of 15.5 out of 20. Winchester
  • Lancaster
  • Oxford

The full results of the report are available at www.ciphr.com/best-uk-cities-for-job-opportunities-2023

 

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Financial worries affect the productivity of more than one in four

More than a quarter a seeking help to cope with stress

Financial worries are top the list of factors affecting workers’ productivity. This is according to a new survey conducted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The survey revealed that almost one-third of workers (approximately 8.2 million people) said they experienced low work productivity due to financial concerns. A further 31% said that they expect a similar scenario within the next year. With the country facing a massive cost of living crisis, these figures are no surprise.

According to the study, 20% of the British public (13.4 million people) were already living in poverty in 2020/21, with 7.9 million being working-age adults. The projections were also not positive. The New Economics Forum estimates that by December 2024, 43% of UK households will not be able to afford a decent standard of living.

The survey found that 40% of workers have experienced physical and mental strain due to their financial pressures a further 32% lose sleep. In addition, a quarter of respondents reported feeling depressed.

For those who are affected mentally:

  • 26% are seeking help to cope with stress
  • 20% expect to speak to a mental health professional or receive counselling
  • 19% plan to seek advice from their GP

The mental health crisis in the UK is growing, with the waiting list for mental health patients at a record 7.2 million and a waiting time of 47 weeks, according to data from October 2022.

The British public are looking for appropriate pay increases to deal with soaring prices. The respondents were asked to choose a suitable increase from 1% to 12%.

34% said a 5% pay rise sounds ‘about right’

34% felt the same about a 10% rise

People who voted for Tories in the last election found 5% to be fair (41%)

People who voted for Labour said 10% would be appropriate (43%)

Retired Brits also agreed with the 5% rise (35%)

Jonathan Merry, CEO of Moneyzine.com, commented: “The figures paint a grim picture, but also show how much employers need to rehash their duty of care policies and refine their outreach to struggling employees. Although limited in their power, firms need to keep their ends up to support their workers in these testing times.”

Read the full article here.

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Vacancies down, but hiring process still needs work

Skills crisis not yet over, experts warn

The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data has revealed that UK vacancy rates declined between May and July 2022. But even with the decline, background screening and identity services firm, Sterling, has cautioned firms not to neglect hiring efforts with skills still in short supply. Data shows that neglect may be detrimental to organisations’ long-term hiring strategies.

According to Sterling, even though vacancies are down, the hiring market in the UK is still candidate-led, and the country remains critically short of top talent. In light of this, businesses need to rethink their hiring process to better match the job seeker’s needs.

Based on a global survey of more than 1,200 HR professionals and more than 3,700 recent job seekers, Sterling’s research revealed that 78% of job seekers are dropping out or considering dropping out of the recruitment process due to long, complex screening requirements. A third of the respondents who dropped out said the hiring process was too complicated, while 22% had concerns about the background screening process.

Steve Smith, President of International at Sterling, commented: “With so much uncertainty and with skills still in short supply across most of Europe, this is the time to ensure that you have the right processes in place to secure the talent that you need to continue successfully operating your business. Particularly in a competitive recruitment environment, ensuring applicants have the best possible experience with a brand remains of paramount importance and will be for the foreseeable future.

“When it comes to candidates dropping out of the hiring process, there’s been a wealth of speculation that individuals are getting counter-offers and they are pursuing opportunities elsewhere. While this may be the case for some, the insight we’ve gained from applicants themselves suggests there’s more to this issue that needs to be addressed swiftly. In the current economy, it’s simply not a viable option to overlook how important it is to provide an efficient and engaging experience for candidates throughout the entire hiring process.”

ONS labour response: Decline in jobs doesn’t mean the skills crisis is over

Tania Bowers, Global Public Policy Director at the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) commented: “The post-pandemic hiring spike we experienced was bound to come to a halt at some time, but with recession fears looming and on-going Government uncertainty amidst a leadership contest, this drop is a concern for the country’s economy.

“Our own data supports the idea that permanent recruitment is slowing as the impact of the skills shortages over the last few years plays out. However, what our statistics are also indicating is that more businesses are turning to contract professionals as they struggle to fill resourcing needs. The data – provided by the global leader in software for the staffing industry, Bullhorn – revealed that the number of contract roles in the UK grew by 13% in July 2022 when compared to pre-pandemic figures (July 2019). In comparison, the number of permanent jobs dropped by 23% in the same period.”

“This reliance on the non-employed segment of the workforce simply isn’t sustainable at a time when the UK’s attractiveness as a destination to work for international contractors is dwindling post-Brexit. And with the impact of Off Payroll still being felt in the temporary recruitment market, the longer-term availability of these resources and ability to tap into skills in a cost-effective manner is at risk. We urgently need some stability from the Government and a clearer direction on the regulation of the employment market to ensure that the UK can manage through the difficult times ahead.”

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Job seekers prefer flexible working to a four-day work week

73% of workers will accept a four-day work week if pay does not decrease

A survey of over 2,000 UK workers and 250 UK employers found that flexible work is more popular among job seekers than a four-day work week.

Despite 37% of employers implementing a four-day working week, recent research from Reed.co.uk has found that candidates are more likely to apply for a job offering “flexible working” opportunities (45%) than a “four-day working week” (40%). “Work from home” followed at 32%, and “opportunity to progress” was noted at 31%.

According to the research, despite 89% of workers favouring a four-day working week, flexible work remains the more popular alternative for employers seeking to generate job applications. Flexible working is defined as a way of working that suits the individual’s needs, with flexible start and finishing times and/or the freedom to work from home.

The research also found that only 16% of workers would accept a pay reduction in exchange for a shorter week. Seventy-three percent of respondents were open to the shorter week if pay did not decrease.

Over a third (37%) of employers have implemented a four-day working week, and 27% are considering it.

Generally, the reasons for employers’ support of the four-day working week are focused on employee wellbeing. The benefits cited include:

  • “better work-life balance” (51%)
  • “increased employee happiness” (43%)
  • “higher employee engagement” (41%)
  • “increased productivity” (36%)
  • “reduction of burnout” (36%)

James Reed, Chairman of Reed.co.uk, comments: “Despite strong arguments in favour of a four-day working week, evidenced also by recent UK trials, our research suggests that it may not be the best or most popular way for businesses to attract and retain top talent.

“The National Forum for Health and Wellbeing at Work has suggested that cramming five days’ work into four might contribute to stress. Instead, offering greater flexibility could be more impactful and more popular.

“Amid a highly competitive labour market, it’s encouraging to see so many employers open to exploring new and creative methods to attract candidates. The era of the traditional 9-to-5, five day working week is over and it’s now more important than ever for employers and employees alike to embrace flexible and inclusive working patterns that will allow everyone to contribute to the workforce.”

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65% of SME employees unlikely to take sick leave when WFH, says new data

Lack of well-being benefits for SME works 

A recent survey revealed that 65% of SME employees are hesitant to take sick leave when working from home.

The survey, conducted by HR Software provider Breathe, looked at the current state of well-being among SME employees. The survey was conducted across 1,264 UK SME employees, and the respondents were asked a series of questions regarding sick leave, mental health, and remote working. The goal of the survey was to establish whether the pandemic had a lasting effect on the working world and the impact of hybrid working.

According to the data, there is an ongoing pattern of presenteeism, with 65% of respondents saying they are less likely to take sick leave when working remotely and 42% of respondents feeling the need to prove their productivity while working remotely.

Of the workers who didn’t take sick leave, despite feeling unwell:

  • 32% could not financially afford to take time off work
  • 25% were too busy to do to take time off
  • 21% didn’t want to let their colleagues down
  • 20% felt pressured to work through it

The data suggests a lack of benefits aimed at employee well-being. Seventy-two percent of SMEs do not offer well-being days despite 35% of workers feeling that well-being days would be helpful.

The survey also found that only half of SMEs offer flexible working, even though 67% of the respondents believe that WFH supports work-life balance and overall well-being

Another finding was that 54% of SME employees work overtime when WFH. Forty-four percent of employees struggle with feeling ‘seen’ by their employers. A further 47% said they were less inclined to take a lunch break when working from home.

The survey also found that:

  • 41% of workers felt that their symptoms weren’t severe enough to take sick leave
  • 36% of SME workers reported mental health issues in the past three months
  • 12% of workers have taken sick leave for mental health reasons
  • 67% of SME workers say working from home improves their work-life balance, but 54% report they are still more likely to work longer hours than usual
  • 48% of SME employees are offered flexible working whereas 27% are not offered it but would find it the most useful benefit

Balancing a company culture in a hybrid working world is a challenge, and SME leaders need to address toxic traits in their existing culture, like overworking and presenteeism, to maintain a healthy and productive workforce.

Rachel King, UK General Manager, Breathe, commented: “The benefits for mental and physical well-being that come from a flexible approach to work patterns have been widely discussed but are still so important. Flexible working can positively impact physical, mental and financial well-being. That said, working from home has proven effective for many people, but crucially not for all. It’s often the case that people find themselves working longer hours and taking less sick leave, under pressure to be seen as super productive when working remotely. Employers should look for ways to tackle the ‘always-on’ ethos and habits that have crept into remote working culture. Focusing on creating a culture that supports flexible working as standard can benefit teams and improve productivity if handled intentionally.”

Lizzie Benton, Company Culture Coach & Founder at Liberty Mind, added: “As a business, your attitudes, behaviour, and beliefs will all ultimately present to people what you truly think about employee well-being. If people are feeling unseen and pressured to work through illness, that’s really not a good sign. Now is not the time to ignore your culture and the true ripple effect it has on your people. After two years of momentous life changes, employees across the UK are considering whether where they work is adding to their life or taking something away. That’s why it’s important to put your people first when making decisions that impact them both personally and professionally. Creating a positive healthy company culture is ongoing work and it’s a choice that will benefit your business in the long run.”

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New jobs website aims to create more jobs in sustainable industries

Jobs board focuses on roles at companies that ‘do good’

Last week member states of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) agreed on new plans to create more jobs in sustainable industries.

The new jobs website, Jobs For Good,  is aimed at people who want to find jobs in sustainability industries where they can make a social impact. There are already 1,200 roles live on the website.

According to PWC’s latest reports, one in five people are looking to change jobs, with 68% of these wanting a more fulfilling job. Further, with over 70% of millennials wanting employers with a strong environmental agenda and 10% of workers saying that they would take a pay cut to work at an environmentally responsible company, it’s clear that there is a growing demand for jobs in companies that are ‘for good’.

In the UK, the ‘impact industry’ is worth £50 billion, employs 35,000 people, and has grown 127% since 2018.

The new jobs board only features jobs in companies that “do good” in that they positively impact people or the planet and are run responsibly. These can be in areas such as renewable energy, food production, health and wellbeing solutions, etc.

On the site, job seekers can search by job type and impact area without needing to sign in. They can then read about the companies’ ‘do good’ credentials before applying for the job online.

Job sectors include IT, marketing, product, sales, and admin roles, and companies are vetted for their ‘For Good’ credentials before they can add jobs to the website.

Olivia Spaethe, CEO of Jobs For Good, commented:  ‘Originally we built Jobs For Good in response the ‘Great Resignation’ and people looking for more fulfilling roles in sustainable companies. We’re really encouraged to see the UK Government and OECD agreeing to invest and focus more on this area too. We’re here to plug an important gap between sustainable start-ups looking for new workers, and those workers looking for the right do-good company to work for.’

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London in the lead for job applications

Twice as many job seekers in the city compared to same time last year

According to job seeker data from job aggregator, ClickJobs.io, 35.4% of all job seekers in the last month were applying for roles in the capital, putting London in the lead for job applications in the UK.

Year on year, these figures show a huge spike. During the same period last year, 19.7% of applications were for jobs in London. The next city on the list, Birmingham, only accounted for 3.7% of applications. Manchester and Leeds followed at only 2%.

The spike comes as no surprise as offices reopen post-pandemic and people begin to return to the city. While this is good news for London-based businesses, it could negatively impact hiring employers in other cities and regions.

Joe Boll, CEO at ClickJobs.io, commented: “At CilckJobs.io we believe it is essential to understand how job seekers are applying for the latest jobs across our portfolio of websites to ensure we can offer the very best solution to mirror these trends. This new data shows a huge increase in demand for jobs in London which is good news for the capital but could impact other regions looking to attract talent.

We manage millions of jobs every week which means we can quickly see how the market is changing and what key trends are happening across employment in the UK.”

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