Evidence on Employer Attitudes and EQUAL Opportunities for the Disadvantaged in a Flexible and Open Economy.

A neglected area of analysis in improving the progression of those facing barriers to the labour market concerns the role of employers. Unless their attitudes and behaviour are suitable, well informed, and sympathetic to the aspirations of disadvantaged groups in the labour market, then strategies and policies to raise employability and inclusion will be less than effective. In this paper we report on a project to identify a better understanding of employer considerations in recruiting, retaining, and progressing those who face barriers. We assess employer attitudes and behaviour to EQUAL Access client groups by researching examples of companies who have been active users of such labour, those who have not, and the labour market intermediaries and institutions. In this context we discuss the evolving issues for these groups in the secondary labour market with the migration of significant numbers of skilled workers from Central and Eastern Europe.