Businesses say they need people. Employers are struggling to fill some roles. Whilst at the same time, we have young people aged 16 to 24 who are NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). Time spent NEET can have a lasting impact, including health and wellbeing.
Yet employing someone, of any age, has become an increasingly expensive decision.
A £30k salary is nowhere near the full cost to a business once you add employer NI, pension, holiday, benefits, training and the time involved in managing and developing someone. Then there’s the risk of getting it wrong and revisiting the recruitment process. So, we understand why businesses are thinking twice before adding another permanent employee. But there’s a problem with this.
Young people need someone to give them a first opportunity. Businesses need people, and yet the cost of taking someone on can make that first opportunity harder to create.
This isn’t about blaming anyone. Everyone is trying to manage costs, stay competitive and make sensible decisions. But perhaps we should be asking whether we’ve made employing young people unnecessarily difficult?
The UK needs businesses to grow and we need young people to get experience. Right now, the two aren’t meeting as easily as they should.
So, what can we do?
It won’t fix the bigger problem, but throughout September, we’re committing to cutting our recruitment fee by 50% for any employer who successfully interviews and employs someone aged 16-24.
It’s a small contribution to a much bigger issue, but Pimento Connection has always been focused on connecting people with opportunities, and we’re going to keep doing that, in whatever way we can.
So, join us in supporting the next generation of Team Leaders, Marketing Directors, Heads of Operations, CFOs, CEOs and VPs.
After all, they’ve got to start somewhere.
#hellopimento #VTOV
