Quality Flexible WorkA model for a modern labour market

London Skills and Employment Convention May 2012

Who we are

• Careers Advice and Support: 1000 low income parents per year

• Recruitment Services: Timewise Jobs and Timewise Recruitment

• Research and Policy

• Social enterprise model

• Some numbers….32,000 jobseekers, 4200 employers, 4641 supported, 1560 workless parents into work

Why part time matters for London

• 8m work part time nationally. 6.6m choose to

• LESS part time jobs in London than rest of UK

• LOW VALUE. Half PT workers earn less LLW

• Part time pay penalty: 48% of mothers on low to middle incomes downgrade.

Impact• Maternal and family poverty: squeezes out lower skilled mothers • In work poverty: making part time work pay. Childcare. • Employment gap with Uk for lone parents 11% ( 33,000 mothers)

Role of employment and skills providers• Universal Credit…..generating mini jobs? • ESF troubled families. Assess family income. Potential second earners key

The 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 1000 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:

Why the resistance?

Key determinants- why resist?

Senior management mindset• 9% of businesses where p/t 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 ½ 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?

• Confusion about the pros and cons of part time recruitment ….. top 3 reasons to hire PT also top 3 reasons NOT to hire PT

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 predominently with those who havent

• BUT employers don’t perceive a business need to think differently

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 PT roles IF presented

with a visible candidate pool.

What works

• WLU employer engagement pilot. 18 months. Trust for London• Stimulate demand for quality part time jobs from employers• Match jobs to low income mothers

Achievements to date ( 3 mths to go)• Job design helpdesk in partnership with CIPD • 100 employers supported to re-think how they design and recruit• Estimate 20% proceeded to generate roles• 132 low income clients ( under £20k household income) access

intensive job brokerage support• 48% into work• Average £156 pw better off in work after childcare costs• Earnings averaging £12ph.• Influence mayoral campaign. 20,000 part time jobs pledge

Implications for policy and practice

• More understanding of part time vacancy market: ONS no data

• Move from work-first to employer-first model• Influence employers hiring decisions…champion business benefits• Provide practical support• Access to wider candidate pool

HOW?

• Employment and skills market: Investment in employer facing interventions….long term savings. BIS and DWP

• Recruitment agency model: employer revenues. More for less.

• A world beyond JCP….? Candidates attract employers

Women Like Us: training programme in part time job creation for employer engagement teams