New report launched to drive positive change in UK workforce

February 21st, 2024

Only through more collaborative working will we be able to bridge skills gaps and remove more barriers to employment

L-R Nic Barr Director of Pertemps Scotland, Tracy Evans Pertemps Group HR and Quality Director, Carmen Watson Chair of Pertemps Network Group, Sarah Thompson Head of Communications at the Luceco Group and Calum Nisbit CEO of the Kaleidoscope Plus Group

That’s one of the key recommendations in the Workforce of the Future report, prepared by recruiter Pertemps Network Group and The Purpose Coalition following a series of meetings with representatives from different industries and public sector employers across the UK.

The resulting report presents innovative solutions aimed at addressing the economic challenges currently faced by organisations across the UK.

The roundtable discussions, hosted by Pertemps, focused on empowering businesses to utilise their experiences as catalysts for positive change. They identified four key themes, offering evidence-backed recommendations for policymakers:

• Promoting resilience: Emphasising the diversification of sectoral strategies, fostering public-private partnerships and strengthening supply chain resilience to effectively respond to economic shocks.
• Adapting to the post-pandemic workplace: Recommending tailored flexible working arrangements, clear business practices and the adoption of Government-sponsored flexible working toolkits to navigate the evolving work landscape.
• Investing in the workforce of the future: Advocating for flexible training and apprenticeship programmes, personalised career counselling, youth-focused entrepreneurship initiatives and enhanced pathways in key sectors, all developed collaboratively with businesses.
• Fostering long-term economic resilience: Proposing measures such as capital grants expansion, investment in upskilling programmes, support for research and innovation and incentivisation of sustainability efforts to ensure enduring economic stability.

Chair of the Purpose Business Coalition, crossbench peer and former Labour MP Lord Walney said: “In the aftermath of the pandemic, businesses and employers have been forced to adjust to changes in work patterns, economic uncertainties and an increasingly tight labour market. At a point when our economy is on the brink of extraordinary technological change, these drag factors have the potential to entrench stagnant productivity and become barriers to the more stable and prosperous future the country needs.  

“As a leading purpose-led business, Pertemps has used its expertise and professional networks to deep dive into the problems that employers are facing, listen to their individual perspectives and draw up effective solutions that are based on real-world experience."

Chair of Pertemps Network Group, Carmen Watson, said: “At Pertemps, we’re all about using the influence of business to make a positive impact. Our commitment to breaking down barriers to work extends beyond mere words.

“Through collaboration with organisations, sharing best practices and actively driving change, we’re using the combined strength of businesses to open doors for everyone.

“The new report, inspired by our original Impact Report, is a big step forward in our ongoing mission to break down barriers to ensure everyone has access to work.

“Our collaboration with the Purpose Coalition has played a pivotal role in bringing this project to fruition, empowering us to shed light on critical issues and drive positive change in our community.”

The Workforce of the Future report underscores Pertemps Network Group's commitment to leveraging business influence for societal benefit. By fostering collaboration, sharing best practices, and advocating for change, Pertemps continues to champion inclusivity and accessibility in the workforce.

To view this report, click here.