What Gives? Record 2.5million out of work due to long-term ill health

Some say the press release is dead. I spent time on one yesterday and thought I'd share on here so regardless of where you get your news from, if you have an interest or if you are a journalist with an interest, you heard it here first!

Image courtesy of Tony Wilson

Press Release

What Gives? Record 2.5million out of work due to long-term ill health

15th November 2022

For immediate release

On the day that more than 2.5million are out of work due to long-term ill health, is it time to ask what gives and question the constraints, the purpose, rules and guidance that organisations, including DWP are working to and ask “Who made them and are they still fit for purpose?”

“Yes it’s time to ask and no, they’re obviously not fit for purpose, says John McDonough, Founder and Managing Director of Recro Consulting, an award winning employability and recruitment solutions consultancy and training company.

More difficult to answer is who is responsible for changing them. I’ve been doing this for 14 years and not found anyone yet in the entire system in the UK so let’s say everything is up for grabs to be questioned and changed.

But are we really asking people who have been doing the same thing, in the same way, in the same organisations, often for decades, to do something miraculously different?

That idea shouldn’t get past first base.

Key Questions that Need Urgent Attention

1.???Are all job seekers entitled to the best possible support to help them back into work?

If yes, what’s the best? To understand you need to measure performance and DWP choose not to do that on programmes bought locally or skills courses that they refer people to.???

If no, why not, what does that actually cost and what are the unintended consequences?

2.???Does that need to be a policy?

In theory, everything comes from policy and strategy in DWP but if they are not paying attention to results, we have to ask why not and what’s the consequence of that?

They’re not paying attention to results because they don’t think they should, or are allowed to (guidance).

The consequence is the entirety of DWP’s efforts, and the employment support market, could be following a flawed model. It certainly thwarts innovation, learning and replicating success and is a reason we’ve got the problems we have. 30% into work has been an acceptable success rate into work for over 14 years, the tolerance of failure is huge.

I can’t think of anywhere else that would be acceptable.

3.???What exactly are they buying?

So, if the people who set the essay question can’t answer it, that translates into flawed specifications to go through a procurement process that doesn’t not pay attention to results.

That means if a provider writes a good bid, tells a great story and low balls on price, they should get the work. In reality, it doesn’t help many people into work or improve their health or fill vacancies but don’t worry, under this system, that doesn’t matter!

4.???What does this mean to work coaches?

Work coaches have a very difficult job to do and are being set up to fail. They’re limited in what they can do in a short space of time and often have to refer job seekers to programmes regardless of their suitability and performance, which isn’t being fed back anyway.

5.???What has this led to?

The National Audit Office and Lord Kerslake, previously highlighted a culture of denial and a culture of good news at DWP. This culture seems to still be prevalent.

In recent times their efforts have been on helping those deemed work ready and closer to work, including through Kickstart (which underperformed only getting 2/3 of it’s target placements) and Way To Work. They are doing little, if anything for those who need some serious help and if they haven’t been paying attention to results and learning, they literally don’t know what to do.

6.???How do we change this?

The intent and purpose of DWP needs to be reset urgently.

Some simple changes could significantly improve the productivity and performance of work coaches and the amount of people they can successfully help into work.

Make employers and job seekers the kings and queens, similar to what British Olympic Cycling did which started their success. Currently it’s too much about the system and it’s unchallenged requirements and constraints. ???

This needs a huge paradigm shift but it’s unrealistic and unfair to expect politicians to be able to do this and the civil servants clearly aren’t otherwise this would have changed years ago.

There is an aversion to evidence in policy making and a reluctance to admitting when they don’t know something, which was again highlighted at a recent Institute for Government event on what works.

Somebody somewhere in government needs to issue papal bull to make this happen!?

For interviews and filming opportunities contact John McDonough on 07837 663 969 or email [email protected]

#recruitment #hiring #talentacquisition #careercoaching #careeradvice #careerchange #jobsearch #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #health #dwp #skills #skillshortage #localgovernment #levellingup #hospitality