EP Business in Hospitality facilitated a debate designed to increase awareness of the ‘often over-looked talent that exists in society today’.
Pete Fullard, managing director of Upskill People said: “Businesses must future-proof their workforce and seek out new ways to learn and re-learn. We have to adapt to the pace of new technology, that’s a given, but this debate proved that many business leaders today are concerned that talent will leave their company within six to nine months of joining, so there is a risk that development in that talent is not forthcoming.”
EP’s CEO, Chris Sheppardson, argued that the education system is having an impact on how talent responds to the workplace today, but was ‘adamant’ that the industry should not use this as an excuse and must instead do more to support new talent.
He explained: “There is a fear that businesses talk the talk when it comes to values that inspire younger generations today, but the reality is, they often don’t walk the walk when they enter the business.
“More worryingly, there are also growing fears that no one will speak up when a current leader isn’t doing a good job.”
They also argued that social mobility is so frozen today that it would take five generations for a less wealthy family in the UK to reach an average income and agreed that there should be more support for talent in the lowest socio-economic groups.
Sheppardson said: “The UK is now in a post-industrial economy that needs to adapt to technology, self-service culture, the gig economy and also to the struggle in articulating value to customers, which in turn plays a strong role in the development of trust. Strength will ultimately come from people who are able to aspire to be part of something bigger and who feel valued, therefore wellbeing, learning and development of talent sit at the heart of this.”