The current economic climate is leaving UK businesses with very little margin for error. A couple of sets of figures published this week reveal that inflation remains unstable after a higher than forecast rise and the number of unemployed people in the UK is also up.

We know that increases to both National Insurance and the National Minimum Wage across the last couple of budgets have significantly raised the cost of employing people, which for employers, has sharpened the focus on employee productivity. More specifically, how quickly productivity is realised.

In other words, there is now no room for latency in performance from new employees.

Unsurprisingly, many organisations are approaching recruitment with extreme caution. This is reflected in the unemployment figures released by the Office for National Statistics this week, which show a clear uptick in unemployment levels.

Employers are recruiting less frequently, so we can expect that when they do make the commitment to take on someone new, expectations will be high. New employees will increasingly be expected to hit the ground running and demonstrate that they can perform at the required standard very early on in their role.

This shift may help to explain why young people are disproportionately represented in current unemployment figures. Many young jobseekers have never held a role before and therefore lack the work-readiness that employers now expect from day one. The decline of traditional entry-level sectors has only compounded the problem.

Retail continues to migrate online, while pubs and hospitality businesses face existence-threatening increases in rates and operating costs. These sectors historically provided young people with their first exposure to work; understanding what it means to earn a living and experiencing the ‘psychological contract’ that exists between employer and employee.

As these opportunities diminish, so too do the chances for young people to build the foundational skills employers increasingly assume new recruits already possess.

Against this backdrop, we may well be witnessing the demise of the traditional induction or onboarding programme that many of us will remember from the early days of our careers.

The familiar routine of spending a day with each department to understand how the whole organisation fits together. Perhaps some classroom-based training covering processes, procedures, rules, and the unwritten cultural norms of “how things are done around here”. And maybe even being paired up with a buddy while you learned the ropes.

These approaches, whilst valuable, take time, and more importantly productivity time; something that many businesses may feel they can no longer afford.

Looking ahead, the demand for immediate productivity places a huge responsibility on managers. They are now expected not only to extract value quickly from new employees, but also to ensure those individuals integrate effectively into their role and the wider workplace. All of this must be balanced with a genuine awareness of wellbeing and mental health, a challenge even for experienced leaders.

It’s is vital then that business equip their managers properly to be able to fulfil their roles.

Businesses cannot expect managers to “pick it up as they go along” or learn people management skills through osmosis. The technical competence that earns someone a promotion does not automatically confer the ability to manage, support and develop others. These are learned skills and they require properly structured, formalised training.

This is where HR Champions can make a tangible difference. With a long track record of developing managers who are confident, capable and people-focused, we understand that effective management is both a commercial and a pastoral discipline.

Training should never be viewed as a cost; it is an investment. One that pays dividends in faster productivity, better engagement, reduced attrition and healthier workplace cultures.

Whether for yourself or your management team, now is the time to invest. Sign up to one of our popular open courses or get in touch to explore a bespoke training solution tailored to your organisation’s specific needs.

In an economy that demands performance from day one, preparation has never mattered more. Call us on 01452 331331, or complete the contact form.