The Purpose-Driven Business Solution to the UK’s Labour Shortage. Regional spotlight: West Midlands
In this spotlight report we present a summary of key findings and statistics from The Good Jobs Project report called “The Purpose-Driven Business Solution to the UK’s Labour Shortage”, including a focus on the West Midlands region. We present key statistics from our Good Jobs Project survey at a national level, as well as providing the views of employers that were surveyed in the region.
The report examines the West Midlands region through the lens of the Good Jobs Project, delving into labor force statistics, employer perspectives, and recommendations to enhance recruitment as a tool for regional benefit. It highlights economic disparities, challenges in the employment landscape, and proposes a collaborative, business-led approach to address the needs of marginalized groups and foster regional prosperity.
The report highlight unique challenges for the region’s employment landscape. It reveals that, the region has a lower economic output than the UK average on a per person basis. The region has challenging employment statistics with higher than average unemployment and economic inactivity. Importantly, regional employers are finding it harder to to recruit than the national average despite a large potential workforce. Despite a growing skills gap and challenges filling vacancies, we believe that there is a sufficient supply of labour, although not all of it is necessarily obvious to employers. If this were tapped into, it could increase the size of the active workforce.
At the same time, the business landscape presents opportunities for concerted efforts to boost recruitment and diversity.
The report includes recommendations for a business-led recruitment-focused working group, collaborative forums, controlled trials, and in-depth research to bridge gaps and enhance inclusivity in the workforce. These recommendations aim to leverage existing structures, fostering collaboration and innovation to drive regional prosperity and improve the livelihoods of marginalised groups.
Lead author(s): Harry Brown, Clem Martin
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Collaboration: Severn Trent
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