Top business chiefs vow to hire more home-grown talent & ex-lags rather than rely on cheaper migrant workers

MINISTERS are facing calls to give bosses incentives such as a 12-month holiday from paying National Insurance for taking on marginalised groups.

Business leaders want to hire Brits from disadvantaged backgrounds rather than take on new workers from abroad, a new survey reveals.

AFP

Business leaders want to hire Brits from disadvantaged backgrounds rather than take on new workers from abroad, according to a new poll[/caption]

Seven in ten entrepreneurs want to take on home-grown employees with disabilities or criminal records to help fill the 1.1 million job vacancies.

A year-long study finds that employers are missing out on filling job gaps often freezing out those with a conviction with 83 per cent of ex-offenders not in work 12 months after leaving prison.

The bosses of Greggs and Timpson have joined forces with charity ReGenerate to launch the Good Jobs Project to find a solution to the vacancy crisis.

Roisin Currie, Chief Executive of Greggs, said: “By not overlooking potential employees – be that because of their past or disability – we can select the right person and develop them to their full potential.

“We’ve been working with people leaving prison for a number of years through our dedicated Fresh Start programme.

“The passion and energy for work that comes from people who are given an opportunity to kick-start their careers, or to turn their lives around is clear for all to see and as a business, we feel extremely motivated to do all we can to give these people a fresh start.”

James Timpson, boss of Timpson said the move is a “no-brainer”. He said: “It is too easy for talented people to be held at arm’s length because they may have a criminal record, are neurodivergent or have a physical disability.

“I have seen first hand how looking past such issues, and hiring on talent and character alone, not only benefits society by giving people a second chance, but helps businesses thrive too.”

Ed Boyd, Chief Executive of ReGenerate, said many are not given a chance as they have disabilities or criminal records, says: “The solution to the UK’s record labour shortage is hiding in plain sight.

“Yet these people could make great employees, and make a major contribution to making companies more successful. It is a real win-win.”