Why employer partnerships are the key to sustainable employment

Helping people move into work is about far more than matching candidates to vacancies. The most impactful employability support is built on partnerships that bring together employers, employment support specialists and individuals themselves to create tailored opportunities that lead to long-term careers.

At Reed in Partnership, we work with employers across the UK who recognise that talent comes in many forms. Our strong, no cost employer offer is one reason that we are the best performing Restart Scheme provider in the country. Together, we support the participants using our employability services to overcome their barriers to employment. Our experience shows that the most successful outcomes are achieved when employers become active partners in the process, rather than simply providers of vacancies.

Focusing on potential instead of barriers

Many people seeking employment face challenges that can make securing work more difficult. These may include long-term unemployment, health conditions, caring responsibilities, redundancy, past convictions or limited work experience.

The employers we work with who achieve the greatest success are often those who focus on participants’ potential rather than barriers. We've seen this approach deliver exceptional results across a range of sectors.

In Hull, for example, our partnership with Cranswick Gourmet Sausage and Gourmet Kitchen has helped more than 50 participants on our Restart Scheme delivery move into work over the past year. By creating a recruitment process centred on the individual, providing workshops and conducting interviews in person, the employer has enabled candidates to demonstrate their skills and potential beyond what may appear on a CV.

Similarly, employers such as Nando's have consistently demonstrated the value of inclusive recruitment practices, providing opportunities for participants facing a range of barriers to employment and focusing on what candidates can bring to the workplace rather than the challenges they may have encountered.

Our team delivering the latest routeway event to prepare participants for interviews at a brand-new Nando's branch

Creating sustainable employment

Creating sustainable job opportunities is crucial to maintaining engagement with the labour market. We measure the success of our employer partnerships by the number of participants who remain in work, develop their skills and progress in their careers – rather than solely on the number of vacancies filled.

When McDonald's opened a new restaurant in Buxton, close collaboration with our local recruitment team resulted in 18 job starts, with 94% of those participants remaining in their role and many of them progressing into more senior positions, including crew trainer, supervisor and shift leader roles.

When employers invest in onboarding, employee support and career development, individuals are far more likely to thrive and remain in employment.

Removing unnecessary barriers to recruitment

Traditional recruitment practices can unintentionally exclude talented individuals. Lengthy application processes, rigid job specifications or an over-reliance on previous experience can prevent employers from reaching capable candidates who have the potential to succeed.

Forward-thinking employers are increasingly recognising this challenge and taking steps to address it.

Our long-standing partnership with OCS demonstrates this. Together, we have supported more than 250 job placements over the past three years, with retention rates exceeding 60%. A key factor in this success has been OCS's willingness to adapt recruitment processes, reduce unnecessary obstacles and work collaboratively to ensure candidates have every opportunity to demonstrate their suitability for a role.

Targeted initiatives such as Women in Security have also shown how employers can open up pathways into sectors that individuals may never have previously considered, while helping to improve representation across industries.

A partnership approach benefits everyone

Inclusive recruitment is often discussed in terms of social value, and rightly so. Employment changes lives, strengthens communities and creates opportunities for people and their families.

But effective employer partnerships with employability support providers also deliver significant benefits for businesses.

Employers gain access to a wider talent pool, reduce recruitment costs, improve retention and strengthen their reputation within local communities. They also benefit from the expertise of employability specialists who understand candidate needs, provide pre-employment support and help ensure individuals are ready to succeed from day one.

As labour market challenges continue to evolve, organisations that embrace partnership working will be best placed to attract and retain talent.