Discussion paper to Disability Working Group, Satellite Group 1
ENGAGING EMPLOYERS
Sally Witcher June 2005
This paper is intended as a starting point for discussion, which others can add to from their experience. It looks at issues around engagement and current initiatives. Information on outcomes is thin on the ground, partly because employers' perspectives have frequently not been included in evaluations (PMU 2004), and because much action specifically to engage them around employing disabled people is very recent.
1. Objectives
Scottish Executive: Before formulating recommendations on action they should be taking to engage employers, it is necessary to identify:
- which parts of the SE, and its agencies, are in a position to act. This includes Enterprise and Life Long Learning; Health; Community Scotland (re community regeneration and support to the social economy); the Enterprise Networks (Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Local Enterprise Companies).
- what actions/ initiatives are already in place. It may be possible to build on these or, through looking at these, it may become apparent that new strategies are required.
Employers: It would also be helpful to clarify what we would want employers to do - what do we want to engage them for exactly? Recommendations to employers on what they should do need to acknowledge their objectives, their constraints and their support needs if constraints are to be overcome. It is not just a matter of making a case, winning the argument that they should employ disabled people. They may fully support this in principle but, unless they know what practical actions (i.e. ones which acknowledge their objectives and constraints) they can take, things are unlikely to change. It is important to recognize that different types or size of employer may have different constraints, and different things they could do (see paper on benefits and costs). This can also have implications for the best way to reach them.
2. Levers and drivers
DDA changes: Not only will the public sector duty to promote disability equality affect public sector organizations, private and voluntary sector may be affected if they contract with public sector organizations. The changes last October, to extend coverage to smaller employers, might also be a lever, particularly if there are cases taken against employers.
Health and Safety legislation, employment law changes, etc: The legislative environment in which employers operate is constantly changing, and employers need to keep up-to-date.
B us iness issues: These include needs to expand/ maximize the customer-base, develop products and services better to match customer needs, opportunities for good PR (and the avoidance of bad PR), keeping up (preferably ahead) of the competition, having appropriately skilled, reliable employees, etc (see also the 'benefits and costs' paper).
3. Tactics for engaging employers and some examples
Employer to employer campaigns, peer support: Employers are more likely to take the word of employers, than others who they may feel have a vested interest in promoting a particular case, or poor understanding of business realities. To get well-respected employers to lead a campaign to engage others may well be a successful tactic (as suggested in the PMSU's 'Lifechances' report (2005)). Employers might also provide support to each other on an ongoing basis, through forums or networks. Examples include LEND (the Lothian Employers' Network on Disability), which aims to facilitate information exchange between network members, and between members and relevant disability and statutory services. It provides a central source of information and learning on good practice, and support to employer organisations seeking to recruit/ develop/ retain disabled employees (see
http://www.intowork.org.uk/Development/lend.htm).
Providing advice and support: Businesses may have a range of needs for advice and support, to overcome (real and imagined) barriers. Sometimes support exists which employers don't know about - such as the Access to Work scheme. Employers need to know where they can go for advice and support. A campaign to promote the existence of support might be an option.
Advice and support services to business might be specific around disability, but there may be general sources of advice/ support which could include information on disability. For example:
- Jobcentre Plus might be a focal point for employers. They now emphasis marketing directly to employers and supporting employers, with a new Employer Services Directorate and Local Account Managers. In the Incapacity Benefit 'Pathways' pilot area (Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Argyll and Bute - RIAB) they have developed a strategy for engaging employers.
- Scottish Enterprise's 'Business Gateway' provides free advice and support to SMEs (see
http://www.bgateway.com ).
- A Scottish manufacturing advisory service will assist the managers of SMEs to access specialist advice, rooted in practical experience and expertise, to address issues including strategy and lean production in order to improve competitiveness in the global market (see Scottish Executive 2004a).
- Umbrella bodies, like the Federation of Small Businesses, CBI, Chambers of Commerce, might be routes to reaching employers.
- Another possibility might be to target recruitment agencies.
Financial incentives: International evidence suggests that financial incentives will have little impact in encouraging employers to employ disabled people. US research showed tax breaks were the least effective mechanism to increase employment of disabled people. Canadian research also shows financial incentives to have minimal impact (PMSU 2004, p141). However, grants to make adaptations, etc might be of particular importance to SMEs.
Awards: To get the Disability Symbol, employers have to fulfill 5 commitments including offer a guaranteed interview to disabled candidates who meet minimum criteria, act to retain staff who become disabled, promote staff disability awareness etc. It might be possible to promote the use of the symbol, or target employers who have the symbol to lead an employer-to-employer campaign.
Scotland's Health at Work is a national award programme (Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards) which rewards employers who demonstrate commitment to improving the health and ultimately the performance of their workforce (see
www.shaw.uk.com). The Executive intends to review the criteria for awards, in view of recommendations in the 'Healthy Working Lives' report (Scottish Executive 2004b).
4. Targeting effectively
- It might be a good idea to segment employers, by size, type, locality, to make sure that approaches are appropriately targeted. What may work for one sort, may not for others.
- Target employers with skill shortages?
- Breakfast meetings can be a good way to reach busy employers. Day-long conferences are likely to be less successful, SMEs in particular may not have time to attend, no matter how relevant.
- Involve key politicians/ others who employers would be keen to meet, e.g. to launch a campaign, host an event
- Identify and make use of appropriate case studies
- Develop models of good practice, in collaboration with employers?
- Is there a role for one-to-one and outreach work?
- Reward employers with opportunities for good PR
- Nurture relationships to build trust
- Consider what action should be taken at national level and what at local level, and how they might inform each other
5. More current initiatives/ opportunities for intervention
The Employability Framework: Engaging employers will be necessary to meet one of the aims of the Employability Framework: to get key stakeholders to work together, share information and resources. The Enterprise and Culture Committee is also due to hold an inquiry into employability.
Healthy Working Lives: Although disability is not to be confused with ill health, the definition of a 'healthy working life' can be very broad (see annex). There are a number of initiatives which might provide a vehicle for engaging employers, or a focus for other activity on disability employment (see Scottish Executive 2004b).
- The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives: - a semi-independent part of NHS Scotland comprised of SHAW, Safe and Healthy Working and the Health Scotland Workplace Team (from 1/4/05). It is charged with developing and implementing action programmes to enable employers to act upon the 'Health Working Lives' agenda. They are appointing an employability co-ordinator to provide links between Scottish employers and voluntary and statutory groups working to promote employment and self employment of those with health-related problems.
- National health partnerships:- comprised of CBI Scotland, STUC, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, COSLA, the Health & Safety Executive, the Federation of Small Businesses, Scottish Executive, NHS Health Scotland and the 15 NHS Boards.
- Environmental health management, policy and training services:- provided by Local Authorities who have enforcement responsibility for health and safety in the service, retail and leisure sectors. They provide support including advice on workplace health and safety.
- Safe & Healthy Working: - the national occupational health and safety support service for SMEs offers confidential advice to employers and employees and has a network of field advisors. It is piloting clinical services run by Grampian, Fife and Glasgow NHS Boards which will enable GPs to refer patients for occupational assessment at a monthly half-day session (see
www.safeandhealthyworking.com).
- The National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-Being: - a Scottish Executive-funded programme aiming to stimulate action on workplace mental health support for employers, reduce stigma and discrimination and increase the employment access of people with mental health problems
Disability Rights Commission: The DRC is currently running an employment campaign (see
http://www.drc-gb.org/businessandservices/employmentcampaign.asp )
References and information sources
Annex
Definition of a 'healthy working life'
Extract from 'Health Working Lives: a Plan for Action'
2.3 A healthy working life is one that continuously provides working-age people with the opportunity, ability, support and encouragement to work in ways and in an environment which allows them to sustain and improve their health and wellbeing. It means that individuals are empowered and enabled to do as much as possible, for as long as possible, or as long as they want, in both their working and non-working lives.
2.4 A healthy working life depends upon far more than the absence of disease or infirmity. It demands that individuals maximise what is sometimes called "functional capacity"; our physical, mental and social capacity to make a positive contribution to society and gain the maximum satisfaction and consequent benefit from our working life. This involves improving peoples' fitness for the work they choose, equipping them to undertake such work and adjusting expectations of fitness, as the work available or personal circumstances change. This is as much about having appropriate skills, knowledge and being able to work in a safe and supportive environment that does not cause unnecessary stress or strain, as it is about physical wellbeing.