Launch of new employer engagement toolkit for SMEs

Glasgow Employer Coalition and Healthy Working Lives have recently launched the embracing diversity – employer engagement toolkit www.smediversity.co.uk. This web enabled toolkit has been designed to help Healthy Working Lives (HWL) advisors and employability practitioners engage and support employers from small and medium sized businesses (SME) to provide jobs and progression in work for people currently out of the labour market.

It provides a range of information and insights to help them work more effectively with SMEs, place their clients successfully with SMEs, and overcome some of the fears of SMEs about recruiting different kinds of people in different ways.

In this toolkit you will find information, advice and guidance on four key aspects of working effectively with SME employers:

• Background: The employability agenda, the link between health and work, what SMEs are like and who the priority client groups are.
• Changing Attitudes: How to engage with SMEs and help them appreciate the value of recruiting a more diverse workforce.
• Changing Practice: Covering the three key stages of the process: pre-employment, recruitment and retention and what SMEs need to do to make a success of this.
• Changing Policy: How to help employers make long term and sustainable changes to their working practices that will benefit them and their workforce.

Each section describes the key principles and practices and offers advice, information and guidance specific to the separate roles of Healthy Working Lives advisors and employability practitioners.

To find out more please visit www.smediversity.co.uk

If you have any questions or comments or you would like your information or resources added to the Sources of Support section contact Leona Seaton, Employer Engagement Manager, Glasgow Employer Coalition lseaton@glasgowemployercoalition.org.uk or 0141 249 6658