Employers fear admitting that refugees work

Most
businesses are afraid to speak up about employing refugees, but those who have
tell of big economic and organisational benefits.

Companies
profiled in the Employability Forum’s study, Employing Refugees, Some
Organisations’ Experience, said taking on refugees offered a clear and
identifiable return on investment as well as fulfilling staff demands that
business be more active in their communities.

Anne
Copeland, HR director at construction company Interior Plc, said: "There’s
no doubt about it – in terms of the output, skills, wanting to be part of the
workplace, and the dedication and commitment – there is a clear economic and
humanitarian advantage."

Sue
Labett, corporate services manager at Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
(OFRS), said employing refugees helped fill skills shortages and promote
diversity. She said the benefits of a committed, hard-working and loyal
workforce far outweighed any flexibility the organisation had to build in to
accommodate refugees.

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To
help prepare management for taking on refugee staff, OFRS has created a
protocol for recruiting refugees, which explains the background to the project,
recruiting and interviewing processes and other day-to-day issues that affect
refugees.

For
advice on employing refugees, e-mail: [email protected]