Employers may be nervous about employing ex-offenders but with a well thought out approach and appropriate policy in place they can make the most of this promising cohort of the population. As detailed in The HR World’s recent webinar, 1 in 4 people have some kind of criminal conviction. Moreover, candidates from this part of the talent pool can prove valuable, not least for delivering impressive levels of retention.
The webinar, sponsored by social employment experts Offploy who are dedicated to helping employers engage people with convictions, looked closely at the practicalities of attracting and employing people with convictions and the impact this can have on a business.
With the help of Lisa McAteer, Regional Social Impact Manager Cymru/Wales & Southwest, Balfour Beatty and Beckie Rowland-Turner, Fresh Start Manager, Greggs, Offploy’s Founder, Jacob Hill and their Training and Advocacy Manager, Rik Willis gave an insight into the progress made on employing people with convictions.
What emerged was a scenario in which employers can start small in terms of creating a policy for approaching this talent pool to the more sophisticated issues concerning HR’s need to stay in touch with legislative demands and changes relating to employing people with convictions, recording and retaining information about those convictions. Attracting and recruiting talent is one thing – and can be done either through active initiatives such as outreach work to existing prisoners or simply being open to such talent through the usual channels – but staying compliant and handling what can be sensitive data correctly is quite another.
Employing people with convictions may require extra work and considerations from employers, but the benefits are also there for the taking. Not only does the organisation gain access to some great workers, but employing these kind of people has benefits for company culture and the ED&I agenda. If employees can see the business being open and welcoming to all people it can help promote a welcoming and inclusive business where people are accepted beyond any labels that might be put on them, and even beyond the choices they might have made in the past.
As employers continue to face a talent and skills short market this is an opportune moment to open the way to employing people from this part of the talent pool. This webinar offers a fantastic guide to the first steps for doing so.
Employer’s use Offploy’s free & confidential advice line to ask about advice on applicants to their policies Book their next available appointment here
