HR Industry News

Three-quarters of firms would employ ex-offenders

— 2 July 2007 —

Three-quarters of organisations would consider employing ex-offenders if they had the relevant skills according to research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

The report also calls for the government to raise awareness about the support available to employers and to equip ex-offenders with more marketable job skills.

The research comes hot on the heals of a survey that revealed employers are most concerned about ex-offenders having soft workplace skills like honesty, reliability and good personal behavioural skills.

CIPD diversity adviser, Dianah Worman OBE, said that ex-offenders are a largely unused pool of talent that employers could access as a way of helping to reduce skills shortages.

While improving the employability of ex-offenders through training is accepted as key to the rehabilitation of offenders, the government needs to ensure training meets the needs of employers, improve communication about support available for employers and work with the media to change stereotypes about ex-offenders.

Employers are more likely to offer jobs to ex-offenders who have gone straight for at least two years.

Nevertheless one in ten say that they would consider offering jobs to offenders under license or supervision and a further three-fifths of organisations say they that this is something they would consider if they had more information and support.

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