How can businesses create better quality jobs?
A three-year research project led by Professor Jo Ingold and Dr. Qian Yi Lee at Australian Catholic University, with Professor Angela Knox from the University of Sydney, aims to develop employer-led solutions for sustainable employment of disadvantaged groups. Through Masterclasses, the study explores employers' motivations for hiring hidden talent, revealing a mix of business and social benefits, including enhanced diversity, equity, and inclusion, and improved job satisfaction and retention. The project highlights the role of social procurement in driving job quality and creating community benefits.
We need more than a task force for ‘British jobs’: we need to rewire our approach to employment and skills
The first step in addressing any problem is recognising its existence. In this context, yesterday's announcement of a new task force to tackle skills and labour shortages is a significant acknowledgement of a pressing issue. Current data reveals 900,000 unfilled jobs, with over one-third remaining vacant due to skill gaps. This persistent issue has stifled economic growth and prolonged unemployment for many.