The full impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on business is yet to be seen, but employment has fallen and unemployment predicted to increase further and remain above pre-crisis levels until 2023/24.

Hardest hit are the sectors most affected by lockdown such as hospitality and retail and it is becoming increasingly clear that low skilled workers and young people that make up the majority of the workforce in these organisations are now seeking new employment outside of their current skill set.

So what is being done to help?

The Government has already responded with a range of policies including the furlough scheme, Kickstart, and the Lifetime Skills Guarantee. These have limited the falls in employment and have the potential to speed up recovery from the pandemic.

But starting a new job is challenging and while considerable effort is being put into supporting people to change jobs or get back into work, much less attention has been paid to the ongoing support that they will need in the workplace to help them make a success of their new roles and learn new skills. This responsibility will fall to line managers but are they prepared, and do they have the skills to help these new employees adjust?

CMI has partnered with the Learning and Work Institute to publish a new report, Building Strong Foundations, to understand the role of the manager in ensuring successful transition into new roles for both new starters and existing staff.

We will be joined by Mims Davies MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment, Fiona Aldridge, Director of Policy & Research at the Learning & Work Institute, Haydn Humphries, TV Recycling Team Leader at Veolia and Daisy Hooper, Head of Policy & Public Affairs at CMI to discuss the findings of this report and explore some of the key lessons that managers can take away to help support new starters and existing staff.

Our Speakers

Mims Davies MP

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister of Employment

Mims Davies was appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment at the Department for Work and Pensions on 26 July 2019.

She was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from 5 November 2018 to 25 July 2019.

She was previously Assistant Government Whip from January 2018 to November 2018, and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales from July 2018 to November 2018.

Dr Fiona Aldridge

Director of Policy and Research, Learning and Work Institute

Dr Fiona Aldridge is director of policy and research at Learning and Work Institute (L&W), responsible for leading L&W’s programme of research and development and ensuring that their work influences policy and practice by providing a credible and influential voice on learning, skills and employment.

She has more than 20 years of experience in the adult learning and skills sector, and currently works across a range of policy areas with a particular focus on building the capacity of local areas, providers and employers to lead and respond to changes in post-16 education and skills.

Haydn Humphries

TV Recycling Team Leader, Veolia

I have been the team leader for Bridgnorth TV recycling for 2 years having started as agency staff and working my way up with training and guidance from my peers, and have just taken over as supervisor, I am looking forward to a new set of challenges that the job will bring.

Our Host

Daisy Hooper

Head of Policy & Public Affairs, Chartered Management Institute

Daisy is Head of Policy & Public Affairs at the Chartered Management Institute, the only Chartered professional body for managers and leaders. The CMI works with business and education to inspire people to become skilled, confident and successful managers and leaders.

Daisy leads the CMI's thought leadership programme, including recent work on Management Transformed, looking at the skills managers and leaders will need in a world transformed by technological change and societal disruption. She has a background in higher education, and teaching and learning policy.

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