Employer Engagement A Strategic Approach Tristram Hughes, Research Manager Raj Patel, Programme Manager.

Employer EngagementA Strategic Approach

Tristram Hughes, Research Manager

Raj Patel, Programme Manager

Outline for this afternoon

> What is employer engagement?> What is your strategy?> Knowing your market> Being responsive

Our recent work in this area

> Developing Training Excellence (and previously TQS)

> Research with employers into demand for and perceptions of HE and FE, including employer survey for Linking London

> Supporting universities on market research and CPD strategies

> Evaluation of HEFCE’s Transforming Workforce Development Programme

What is employer engagement?

The importance of employer engagement

> Its place and priority within institutions varies> Following policy trends> Intrinsic link to apprenticeships and vocational

provision in FE> In HE it can be less central, but depends on

the institution> Complements wider research/KE/employability

activities > Valuable source of income

Employer engagement challenges> Competitive market> Doing more with less> Institutional challenges> Shifting financial burden from state to

employers/individuals> Less co-funding and subsidy

“Taxpayers should not be involved in subsidising employers by paying for workplace activity that includes large amounts of firm-specific training” Alison Wolf

Your experience

> How do you define employer engagement?> Has this definition changed?> How important is employer engagement to

your institution?> What challenges are you facing?

What is your strategy?

Building blocks for strategy

Define market

Define business

Define structure

Define stakeholder

s

Standalone

Employer engagement

unitDepartments/faculties

Hub and spoke

Departments/faculties

Employer engageme

nt unit

Distributed

Departments/faculties

Developing an effective WFD offer

Product development

Capability review

Market analysis

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

EMPLOYER / INDIVIDUAL MARKET FOR WfD

WfD OFFER

Capability strategy

Define objectives

Develop products

Target customers

Action improveme

nt

Analyse markets

What is your strategy?

> Do you have a written employer engagement strategy or strategies?

> How do these fit within other institutional priorities/strategies?

> How does your strategy inform your operating model?

Knowing your market

CPD market

> It is a big market > It is a crowded market > Individuals and employers are two distinct but

related segments – will require different approaches...

> ...but 50% of individuals select CPD provider on behalf of their employer

Linking London employer survey – HLS (2009)

Base: Employers with 50+ employees

Base: 211 Base: 211 Base: 223 Base: 302

East Midlands West Midlands Yorkshire & Humber

Linking London 0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

99(47%) 86

(41%)93

(42%)

183(61%)

112(53%) 125

(59%)130

(58%)

119(39%)

NoYes

Institutional approaches to market intelligence

> Using secondary data sources – Labour Force Survey, etc

> Coordinating with Jobcentre Plus, SSCs, professional bodies and other stakeholders

> Customer voice research with existing and prospective customers

> Satisfaction surveys> Focus groups> Alumni surveys (focusing on alumni as future

customers)> Competitor analysis

Market positioning

Product Market Service Price

Private provider A

Flexible training Unrestricted Flexible

delivery High

University B World leading education

Blue chip / government

Mainly traditionaldelivery

High

FE college CHigh quality accredited

training

Local area only

Mainly traditional delivery

Medium

You..? ? ? ? ?

How do you understand your market?

> Surveys?> Consultations, focus groups?> Consulting professional bodies?> Sector skills councils?> Alumni surveys?

> At what level?– Institution wide?– Faculty/Department?– Specific qualifications/courses?

Coffee break?

Being responsive

Playing to your strengths

> What are you known for?– Do you know what you’re known for? How?– What makes you authoritative?

> Why would an employer want to buy from you?– Customer satisfaction/repeat business

> What can you build on?– Internal consultations

> Market positioning against competitors– Can you collaborate to build a more complete

offer?

Being Responsive: Basic, Performance & Excitement CharacteristicsType Definition Characteristics

Basic The must-haves; without these employers won’t be satisfied

•Teaching staff with the right knowledge •Clear course objectives •Accessible sales approach

Performance The key elements which are typically used to determine satisfaction if the basics are in place.

•Low bureaucracy / usable service •Competent staff •Helpful and accessible attitudes •Right delivery styles / techniques •Good value for money

Excitement The nice-to-haves; the factors that impress and employers are willing to pay for.

•Up-to-date course content •Willingness to tailor and adapt •Course content relevant to our needs •Right time for delivery •Right place for delivery •Track record

The employer’s journey: how satisfaction evolves

Barriers to Training?

“Previous training hasn’t

delivered!”

“It’s going to be too disruptive”

“I just don’t know much about

what’s available.”

“My staff may leave or start

asking for more money.”

“Formal training doesn’t deliver skills I need”

“It’s too expensive”

Barriers to Training Disruption to work patterns

Financial cost

Lack of knowledge about the range of provision available

Concern staff will become more susceptible to poaching

Lack of suitable training provision

Reluctance of staff

Concern acquisition of new skills will lead to higher wage demands

Previous training less beneficial than hoped

Formal training not the best way to develop skills

Previous training not delivered in the past

The Improvement Framework…

Five principles…Ready CommunicationsExcellent Training Organisations communicate readily, clearly and frequently with all stakeholders about what the organisation is doing to satisfy  their needs.

Rigorous AnalysisExcellent Training Organisations rely on facts and rigorous analysis to make decisions on strategy and service delivery, securing impact for customers’ businesses.

Responsive ServiceExcellent Training Organisations respond to customers’ needs and expectations with high and responsive  standards of service, driving customer satisfaction.

Robust DeploymentExcellent Training Organisations are robust  in deploying  their internal plans and their proposals to customers, achieving sustained business results.

Rich ContentExcellent Training Organisations draw on innovation and best practice to create and deliver rich content  which secures impact  for customers’ businesses.

For more information

Tristram Hughes

[email protected]

Raj Patel

[email protected]

0116 229 3300

www.cfe.org.uk

www.trainingexcellence.co.uk