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Effective Interventions Unit Moving On: Update Employability And Employment For Recovering Drug Users

Chapter 3: Employers and employability

Employers seek to run their businesses in as cost effective a manner as possible. To do so, they need employees who have the relevant skills and capabilities together with commitment and motivation. Very often, staff costs form the major element of an employer's expenditure. For these reasons, the ability to recruit and retain well-motivated and skilled staff is crucially important to employers.

Why should employers employ recovering drug users?

The evidence is that even individuals who are stable or who are now drug free face considerable difficulty in getting a job in the open market (EIU 2001, Klee et al 2002, Scott and Sillars 2003, Macdougall et al forthcoming). A combination of economic, social and business motives is most likely to persuade employers to take on the groups perceived to be the most 'difficult'. Among these groups a survey conducted on behalf of the Scottish Information Poverty Unit showed that employers were least inclined to employ people with a history of drug misuse.

Employers have particular concerns about:

• Unreliability - absenteeism, poor timekeeping, theft

• Offending history - fear of re-offending

• Health and safety - including concerns about the effects of methadone

• Lack of work experience and the work environment

But employers are also pragmatic. Changing economic circumstances e.g. skills shortages, high levels of employment and staff turnover leading to vacancies, influence their willingness to consider potential employees from harder to employ groups. There may also be additional benefits to employing people from groups that are often excluded from the labour market. A report by the Training and Employment Research Unit at Glasgow University looking at employability issues of non-Job Seekers Allowance jobless found that some employers experienced recruits from this group to be enthusiastic and committed once established in the workplace. They were often grateful for the opportunity to work and as a result proved loyal employees (Macdougall et al forthcoming).

There are particular qualities that employers want which seem to rank higher than specific skills and qualifications, including generic skills and attributes such as:

• Commitment and enthusiasm

• Willingness to learn

• Honesty and trustworthiness

• Timekeeping

• Dealing with customers

A recent survey of employers (Futureskills Scotland 2002, The Employers View) found that 40% of all workplaces mentioned 5 skills in which employees were lacking: customer-handling (46%), planning and organising (45%), team-working (44%), verbal communication (43%) and problem-solving. Some of these are skills that drug users may have acquired through unconventional means. Employability programmes such as NFF focus on developing these work-related skills and are now measuring progress against an Employability Framework. However, Johnson and Burden (2003) report that, when employers were asked about employability attributes that they looked for in young employees, they tended to give general definitions and often did not share understanding of definitions. For example, although all of the respondents said they wanted young people who are willing to learn, they found it hard to define what they meant by this other than showing initiative and being generally enthusiastic.

Many employers are also aware of their social responsibility. The health of a business can be a reflection of the health and well-being of the community in which it operates. A number of employers e.g. Marks and Spencer, Scottish Gas and Standard Life, have had a focus on community support for a period of years. In the survey conducted by Scott and Sillars (2003) a significant number of employers said that if the right conditions could be met then they will consider employing individuals from disadvantaged groups including recovering drug users. The following help was identified by employers as useful if they are to employ people from hard-to-employ groups:

• Financial support to ease the extra risks felt attached to employing these groups

• Provision of job readiness and skills training

• Resources for staff training

• 'Get out' clause if they did become involved

In Scotland, Scottish Business in the Community (SBC) has engaged with 12 corporate employers to develop a Diversity Employment Programme. A number of agencies that work with disadvantaged groups are engaged in this exercise. The aim is to create more work placement opportunities, create case studies and identify best practice initiatives. The evidence from the work of SBC with a range of employers is that above all business needs people who want to work and are reliable and presentable. Without these basic components individuals cannot be ready for employment. Furthermore, employers felt that other barriers to employment, including lack of experience, skills and self-confidence, can be addressed by businesses after people have been recruited.

For smaller employers these issues may be more acute. They are arguably more reliant on staff being able to 'do the job' more quickly. They may also have less capacity to support an individual if problems occur. However, small to medium employers form the greater part of the business community, certainly in more remote and rural areas. DAATS and agencies engaged in developing employability strategies may find it useful to create a forum for small employers.

For information on small businesses consult the Federation of Small Businesses:www.fsb.org.uk

The issue of job-readiness is central to any discussion with employers about their willingness and capacity take on a drug user. SBC have produced a list of 'must-haves' that are required for successful and sustained recruitment of people from excluded groups. The list developed in discussion with both employers and agencies, and includes:

For those planning and delivering employability services, one of the key issues to address is how to help employers understand the problems of drug misuse and the various patterns of the recovery process. Greater understanding of these processes can help employers change attitudes about employing recovering drug users and deal with concerns including health and safety, absenteeism, reliability, dependency and trustworthiness. In addition, Scott and Sillars (2003) suggest that in order to bring about a culture shift and develop closer partnership working with employers there is a need to network with employers. Specific actions may include: providing more support with recruiting and training new employees; and supporting the development of a range of human resources elements such as job descriptions and interviews process. The Mental Health and Employment Policy for Scotland report (forthcoming) suggests that public employers could take a more proactive role in employing individuals from excluded groups. Their experiences can then be transferred to help private employers go through a similar process.

Klee et al (2002) conclude that employability services should take a more active and sustained role during the first months of their clients employment. This will ensure support is provided to employers as well as for employees. Employers may welcome the opportunity to be engaged in some way with the design of the content of programmes: for example, they could advise on targeted vocational training such as specific IT packages or customer handling techniques. Employers may be willing to offer 'work tasters' or placements or to conduct mock interviews as part if preparation for job hunting. However, our consultations found that it is difficult for employers to respond to multiple requests for help. Instead, they would prefer to have a co-ordinated approach representing the employability services in their area.

The development of an employers' network can foster better understanding of the issues that need to be addressed through employability provision. These interested employers can also act as advocates or 'champions' with other employers in the area.

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