from last night, still on catch up (I guess)
Didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know TBH
1) Benefits on offer to the "wont work" are far too generous if an unemployed person can say "I wouldn't get out of bed for 7.50 an hour" and/or "I rather spend the time at home with my girlfriend". We need to systematically reduce benefits for the fit and healthy the longer they are on benefits.2) Employers have far too high an expectation from a minimum wage worker. The clue is in the word "minimum". Expecting a "self starter who can manage themselves and produce high quality work with the highest quantity of output", in an employee straight off the street is unreasonable. If someone
*can* achieve all that then they are a *senior* grade worker and they should be paid accordingly.But for the majority, new hires require management *effort* to train themn in the way to do the job that you need doing, teaching them the tips to get the job done better/faster that if left to their own devices they will never discover AND wait several weeks/months (not just a few hours) for them to get up to speed. You cannot expect the education system to have trained up school leavers in every single job that might be encountered as a job seeker, that is the task of *management*. Stop whinging about how the available hires are lacking in these skills and do your own bloody job properly, before complaining that someone else can't do theirs properly.
3) The problem in 2 is exacerbated by the minimum wage being too high. This idea that any/every job should pay a "family living wage" is political nonsense. Employers must have the scope to pay people in training what they are worth to the company. And that is never going to be the living wage. Of course you have to ensure that once they reach the expected ability level employers do actually reward staff for that, and not just continue to pay them the in-training "pittance"4) Why do employers waste so much money on agencies. I have no idea what margins for this type of casual work are, but most people with recruitment "skills" wouldn't get out of bed for 50 grand (they'll just go and work for an employer who pays them more). I understand that genuine casual work (such as catering at an event) requires agency staff, but if you have an ongoing requirement for a worker why the f*ck are you paying the agency margin week after week. Take the guy(/girl) on permanently and use the money saved to increase the guy's (girl's) wage when they reach the required performance level.
Until we solve these (completely self inflicted) problems, things are not going to improve
Oh and the current crop of school leavers needs to drop "the world owes us a living" attitude that some of them seem to have.
timmy