Technical appendix – HTML version

Question 1

Appendix 1: Detailed methodology

Accepted Answer

This technical appendix includes the full and detailed methodology for the research and outlines how each stage was conducted.

Research aims

The Social Mobility Commission (the Commission) exists to assess and promote social mobility in the UK. Every stage of life offers opportunities for policies and services to promote mobility; and at every stage there are considerable challenges to achieving it. This piece of work focussed on realising opportunities that have the potential for impact on people once they are in work, specifically: training targeted at low-skilled employees; and support and encouragement for them to progress in their jobs and careers.

This project was intended to assess the Commission’s hypotheses that these 2 issues present opportunities to increase mobility; to develop and test low-burden interventions which will drive improvements in the short term; and to draw conclusions about which interventions to trial at scale. More specifically, the project aimed to:

Provide insights into what drives employers to offer training and career guidance to low-paid/skilled workers, and what prevents this; to understand how these factors could be leveraged and overcome to increase incidence; and to attempt to draw conclusions about the impact of doing so on social mobility
Design interventions on the basis of this insight and understanding, and ensure that these are likely to be affordable, practical, effective, acceptable, safe and equitable (the APEASE criteria)

The purpose of this behavioural insights research was to build in depth understanding of barriers and facilitators to the provision and uptake of in-work training and career guidance broadly and within specific sectors to allow for interventions to be adequately targeted at key barriers. The research consisted of 2 phases of primary research with the aims of each phase being:

Phase 1 – Scoping phase aims:

Build an in-depth understanding of government commitments, actions and ambitions;
Provide a base of knowledge about the key facilitators of and barriers to training and career guidance for employers and workers more broadly as well as understanding some of the key influences on whether training and career guidance is taken up
Gain an understanding of the contexts, challenges and opportunities in industrial, retail and hospitality sectors specifically
Build an Organisational Practice Model that demonstrates what factors need to be in place throughout organisations for training and career guidance to be promoted and requested

Phase 2 – Case study aims:

Build an understanding of perceptions of training and career guidance from individuals at a range of organisational levels
Engage with businesses in the industrial, retail and hospitality sectors to take a holistic approach to observing and exploring the policies, practices, communications, structures, habits, cultures, attitudes and other factors which impact on training and career guidance uptake
Build on the existing Organisational Practice Models to identify key barriers and facilitators for businesses and workers
Develop interventions with stakeholders to test ensuring that these are likely to be affordable, practical, effective, acceptable, safe and equitable (the APEASE criteria)

Methodology

Overview

This qualitative research took an iterative approach and comprised multiple stages of research, each with multiple research activities being undertaken.

Figure 1.1 Overview of the methodology

Policy maker focus group: focus group with key stakeholders
Expert interviews: 10 60-minute telephone interviews with policy and sector experts
Rapid evidence assessment: review of 21 articles against the COM-B model to draw out relevant insight
Interviews with businesses: 25 60-minute telephone interviews with managers and HR leads from relevant sectors
Case-study ethnographies: 10 site visits to speak to staff at various levels and learn about business culture around progression
Intervention co-design: analysing findings to co-design interventions with stakeholders to improve progression culture

Stage one: Scoping (September 2019 to November 2019)

The scoping stage involved engaging with a range of experts and businesses to gain a full understanding of the contexts, challenges and opportunities to increase in-work training and progression in the retail, industrial and hospitality sectors; and a rapid review of existing evidence into what promotes and inhibits in-work training and progression. This stage provided a firm basis for the Organisational Practice Model, and so drew on a broad, comprehensive range of evidence from across industry sectors. Below outlines how each element of the scoping review fed into the development of the Organisational Practice Model (OPM).

Policy experts:

The first step was to engage with policy experts with the purpose of gaining understanding of the Government’s commitments, actions, engagements, intentions and ambitions in this area. We engaged with policy experts via a 90-minute face-to-face stakeholder workshop held in September 2019. The workshop had 13 participants from: the Department of Work and Pensions, the Cabinet Office, SMC Commissioners, the Department for Education, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the National Careers Service.

Experts were recommended by key contacts at the SMC. Within the workshop, a plenary session was held at the outset. This explained the purpose of the research, the phases involved, and their role within that. The group was then split into 2 smaller breakout groups: one focusing more heavily on retail and the other on manufacturing. This enabled dynamic discussion across relevant areas of expertise.

The workshop explored perspectives on the opportunities and challenges that in-work training and progression presents businesses with more broadly and in the relevant sectors, generated ideas on how best to communicate with individuals at different levels within businesses and provided a foundation for the OPM. The topic guide for the session can be found in Appendix 3.

Policy and sector experts:

Ten 60-minute telephone interviews were conducted with policy and sector experts across September 2019. Policy and sector experts were interviewed to provide a broad picture of perspectives on the challenges and opportunities to increasing the take up of training and career guidance. This included academics who had studied the issue (providing a more detailed and international perspective). Desk research was completed to identify and contact relevant experts, as well as taking recommendations from policy experts involved in the workshop.

The interviews explored experts’ understanding of the topic area and provided a foundation for the evidence review by helping to define the research questions, inclusion and exclusion criteria, the analysis framework, and by signposting to documents that participants knew about. The topic guide for these interviews can be found in Appendix 4.

Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA):

An REA of 21 documents formed a key part of developing the OPM. 2 overarching questions were agreed with supplementary questions. The supplementary questions were explored using the literature identified in the search to address the main question. We produced an REA review protocol detailing the research questions, the scope (e.g. sectors and organisation types of interest), inclusion/ exclusion criteria, search terms, and databases and websites to be searched. The protocol can be found in Appendix 2. We drew from a mix of academic and grey literature, and included sources recommended by stakeholders in the scoping work. During the search we reviewed titles and abstracts/introductions to identify documents for inclusion.

For each document, we recorded the citation, abstract, country of origin and methodology in a bibliographic database. Key findings were categorised and coded to build the OPM: the layers in the organisation that ‘house’ the factors that influence in-work training and progression policies and take-up; and the impact that those factors have on take-up in terms of COM-B.^{[footnote 1]}1

Retail, industrial and hospitality business interviews:

To build on broader evidence gained from the REA, and to provide valuable insight into the sector-specific contexts and challenges, 25 interviews were conducted with businesses within the retail, industrial and hospitality sectors. Telephone interviews were arranged with HR managers and individuals responsible for training and progression (managers) in these businesses. The interviews explored in more detail how policies and practices relating to training were implemented and practised in their organisations, to discuss how general findings emerging from the evidence assessment related to their businesses, and to examine points of detail left uncovered by the general review. The topic guide can be found in Appendix 5.

25 60-minute telephone interviews were conducted in October 2019, with 9 in the retail sector, 9 in the industrial sector and 7 in the hospitality sector. A full sample frame can be found in Appendix 6. Participants were recruited using free-find methods and were incentivised £50 for taking part.

Stage 2: Case studies (August 2019- April 2020)

The scoping work and evidence review provided a solid foundation for the practice models and associated behavioural insights and identified a range of practical steps that could increase the take up of training and progression. However, it was also necessary to engage with businesses within the 3 sectors to observe and explore the policies, practices, communications, structures, attitudes and other factors which may impact on provision and take up in more depth.

Across December 2019 to March 2020, 10 businesses were engaged in ethnographic case study research across the 3 sectors; 4 retail, 4 hospitality and 2 industrial (complete sample frame found in Appendix 8). All case studies were conducted face-to-face taking an immersive approach to understand them holistically.

All case studies included:

one 60-minute interview with a strategic leader
up to 3 60-minute policy implementer interviews, conducted either as one-to-one interviews or as mini groups
up to 3 60-minute frontline employee interviews, conducted either as one-to-one interviews or as mini groups
observation of working practices where possible
review of relevant training documents where granted permission, such as training documents used by businesses and means of recording training attendance

Multiple channels and approaches were used to recruit businesses for the case studies. Free- find approaches using a specialist business recruiter were used. Contacts were also provided by the SMC and approached directly by Kantar.

Each organisation was engaged via an initial lead participant who had sufficient authority and interest to represent the study internally. Time was spent ensuring that these individuals were familiar with the study’s aims and provenance, and were assured of Kantar’s independence, neutrality and adherence to market and social research codes of conduct. The lead then engaged internally as necessary, with whatever support was required, to gain the necessary permissions and arrange time with the relevant people. The lead participant received a £120 incentive and the other participants received £30 as a thank you for their time.

Interviews explored and were structured around the OPM (as shown in Figure 1.2). Firstly, they explored participant understanding of training and career progression. They then explored any current policies within the business and any involvement in creating the policy. Thirdly, interviews discussed the communication of training and career progression opportunities across the business. Finally, the extent to which, and how, training and career progression had been embedded into business culture was explored. The topic guide can be found in Appendix 7.

Figure 1.2. The Organisational Practice Model

Image description:

Figure comprising 5 concentric half circles - each divided into 4 sections.

Outer arc: (heading): CONSIDER

Arc 2 - SECTOR: Industry norms and accepted practice

Arc 3 - ORG LEADERS: Recognise importance

Arc 4 - STRATEGY IMPLEMENTERS: Get ‘buy in’

Inner arc - FRONTLINE: Understand their priorities

Outer arc: (heading): CREATE

Arc 2 - SECTOR: Examples of good practice

Arc 3 - ORG LEADERS: Design workforce development strategy

Arc 4 - STRATEGY IMPLEMENTERS: Co-design with strategic leadership

Inner arc - FRONTLINE: Tailor to needs and motivations

Outer arc: (heading): COMMUNICATE

Arc 2 - SECTOR: Comms options and norms in sector

Arc 3 - ORG LEADERS: Model, promote and champion strategy

Arc 4 - STRATEGY IMPLEMENTERS: Cascade through channels

Inner arc - FRONTLINE: Give them a voice

Outer arc: (heading): COMMIT

Arc 2 - SECTOR: Role models or advocates in sector

Arc 3 - ORG LEADERS: Show how strategy is business priority

Arc 4 - STRATEGY IMPLEMENTERS: Enact the strategy

Inner arc - FRONTLINE: Engage and motivate

Stage 3: Presentation and co-design workshop April 2020

Kantar then hosted a 3-hour online co-creation workshop in April 2020. The workshop was originally intended to be conducted in person but was moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 8 attendees included policy experts and policymakers from government departments including the Social Mobility Commission, the Department for Work and Pensions, the National Careers Service, the Department for Education (Careers Policy Unit), and the National Retraining Scheme.

Within the workshop, a plenary session was held at the outset. This explained the purpose of the research, the phases involved, and the findings so far, namely the key barriers towards, and facilitators of, a strong culture of training and progression for frontline workers in the 3 sectors. Kantar then presented a number of ideas for interventions to address the key barriers. These fell within 4 groups:

Gain buy-in from strategic leaders to the long-term business value of providing in-work training and careers guidance.
Review company structures and ways of working to create meaningful career progression opportunities.
Engage with and build trust with employees by actively listening and then responding to their aspirations and concerns.
Embed measures throughout the business that prioritise and support individuals to progress at their own pace.

After this, the session became more interactive and stakeholders explained which interventions they believed would be most effective, as well as how to go about engaging businesses with them. This interactive session enabled dynamic discussion across relevant areas of experience and expertise.

Following on from this workshop, Kantar presented these findings to a Social Mobility Commissioner with experience in running a business. The purpose of this was to refine the list of interventions to see what businesses would be likely to engage with in practice, and to begin formulating a plan to engage businesspeople (who are often time-poor and may not be bought- in to the benefits of social mobility).

Ethics and data protection

Kantar conducts research to the highest ethical standards. All participants took part voluntarily and provided informed consent for participation; this was ascertained through a recruitment screener which informed participants about the client, aims and purpose of the research, how data would be used, and what participation would involve. Further information was provided via a participant information sheet, that included that participants were able to withdraw from the research at any point during the interviews. Participants were also reassured of confidentiality and anonymity. No business names or the names of any individuals within businesses were shared with the SMC at any stage of the project, including within the case studies.

Analytical approach: thematic qualitative analysis

A robust and systematic approach was applied to analysing the rich and detailed qualitative data collected across all phases of the research process. This approach to analysis ensured that findings are grounded in raw data rather than researchers’ impressions and have a strong focus on the research objectives and actionable insights. The analysis was continuous (during and after the fieldwork periods, and between phases) and iterative, moving between the data, research objectives, and emerging themes. The analysis process consisted of 2 key elements:

Process-driven elements using Kantar’s matrix mapping framework technique. Recordings of discussions were coded and systematically summarised into an analytical framework organised by issue and theme. The framework was developed to reflect the research objectives and emerging themes including facilitators and barriers to training and career progression across the industrial, hospitality and retail sectors, as well as potential interventions that could be implemented and tested to overcome these barriers.
Interpretative elements focused on identifying patterns within the data and undertaking sub-group analysis between job role, level, business sector and business size. This process created descriptive accounts and explanatory data, which comes not only from aggregating patterns but by weighing up the salience and dynamics of issues. Researcher analysis sessions, led by the project Director, were conducted after each phase, during which the team came together to discuss and test emerging themes and insights, and were used to support interpretation of the data.

Verbatim quotes are used throughout the report to illuminate and bring to life key findings and are attributed as follows: “Quote.” (Job role, Business, Business size).

Question 2

Appendix 2: Rapid Evidence Assessment Protocol

Accepted Answer

Research questions

2 overarching questions, with supplementary questions to be explored through the literature identified for the main questions:

Question 1. What factors impact on organisations’ provision of in-work training and career guidance/progression for low-skilled workers (drivers and barriers)?

What are a company’s motivations for offering/not offering in-work training?
Where within the organisation does responsibility for these factors lie and/or where can they be influenced?
What effects do these factors have on individuals within the organisation, in terms of implementation of, communication of and support for in-work training and career guidance/progression arrangements (using COM-B as a framework)?

Question 2. What types of in-work training and career guidance/progression do low-skilled workers find appealing?

How do arrangements differ across industry sectors?

Sectors of interest

Food services, industrial (Automobile industry, Chemical industry Consumer electronics, Industrial equipment, Steel production, Tobacco industry, Aerospace manufacturing, Brewing industry, Textile industry, Energy industry, metalworking Telecommunications) and retail

Search terms

Terms to help identify sources for the 2 main questions:

Factors: enablers, barriers, determinants, facilitators, policies, practices, procedures

Impact: influence, affect, impact, drive, prevent

Organisations: businesses, employers, organisations, teams

Arrangements: policies, practices, offers

Workers, workers, members, workers

Literature search

Google Scholar (as a portal to other resources); signposting from stakeholders

Inclusion criteria

Written in English; published in last 10 years; international studies (from Western developed nations); full range of industry and non-profit sectors; to include part-time and full time workers (literature dependent)

Bibliography

Abramovsky, L., Battistin, E., Fitzsimons, E., Goodman, A., and Simpson, H. (2011). Providing employers with incentives to train low-skilled workers: Evidence from the UK Employer Training Pilots. Journal of Labor Economics, 29(1), 153-193.

D’Arcy, C., and Finch, D. (2016). Finding your routes: non-graduate pathways in the UK’s labour market. London: Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission.

Devins, D., Bickerstaffe, T., Mitchell, B., and Halliday, S. (2014). Improving progression in low paid, low skilled jobs in the retail, catering and care sectors. York: Joseph Roundtree Foundation.

Devins, D., Bickerstaffe, T., Nunn, A., Mitchell, B., McQuaid, R., Egdell, V., and Lindsay, C. (2011). The role of skills from worklessness to sustainable employment with progression. (Project Report. UK Commission for Employment and Skills.)

Fouarge, D., Schils, T., and De Grip, A. (2013). Why do low-educated workers invest less in further training?. Applied Economics, 45(18), 2587-2601.

Green, A., Lee, N., and Sissons, P. (2017). Growth sectors: data analysis on employment change, wages and poverty. Cardiff: Public Policy Institute for Wales.

Green, A., Sissons, P., Broughton, K., De Hoyos, M., Warhurst, C., and Barnes, S. A. (2015). How cities can connect people in poverty with jobs. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Green, A., Sissons, P., and Lee, N. (2017). Harnessing Growth Sectors for Poverty Reduction: The Role of Policy. Public Policy Institute for Wales.

Green, A., Sissons, P., Qamar, A., and Broughton, B. (2018). Raising productivity in low-wage sectors and reducing poverty. London: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Hendra, R., Ray, K., Vegeris, S., Hevenstone, D., and Hudson, M. (2011). Employment Retention and Advancement (ERA) Demonstration Delivery, Take-Up, and Outcomes of In-Work Training Support for Lone Parents. Take-Up, and Outcomes of In-Work Training Support for Lone Parents.

Hurrell, A. (2013). Starting out or getting stuck?: An analysis of who gets trapped in low paid work–and who escapes. British Politics and Policy at LSE.

Lashley, C. (2009). The right answers to the wrong questions? Observations on skill development and training in the United Kingdom’s hospitality sector. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 9(4), 340-352.

McQuaid, R., Raeside, R., Canduela, J., Egdell, V., Lindsay, C., and Berry, C. (2012). Engaging low skilled employees in workplace learning. (Evidence Report, 43. UK Commission for Employment and Skills.)

Nedelkoska, L., and Quintini, G. (2018). Automation, skills use and training. Paris: OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers, No. 202.

Panagiotakopoulos, A. (2011). Barriers to employee training and learning in small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs). Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal, 25(3), 15-18.

Raemdonck, I., Tillema, H., de Grip, A., Valcke, M., and Segers, M. (2012). Does self- directedness in learning and careers predict the employability of low-qualified employees?. Vocations and Learning, 5(2), 137-151.

Roberts, S. (2013). Gaining skills or just paying the bills? Workplace learning in low-level retail employment. Journal of Education and Work, 26(3), 267-290.

Sanders, J., Oomens, S., Blonk, R. W., and Hazelzet, A. (2011). Explaining lower educated workers’ training intentions. Journal of Workplace Learning, 23(6), 402-416.

Sissons, P., Green, A., and Lee, N. (2016). Supporting progression in growth sectors: a review of the international evidence. Cardiff: Public Policy Institute for Wales.

Warhurst, C., and Findlay, P. (2012). More effective skills utilisation: Shifting the terrain of skills policy in Scotland. ESRC Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) Research Papers.

Question 3

Appendix 3: Policy maker focus group topic guide

Accepted Answer

Introduction (5 minutes)

Thanks and Introduction: Introduce yourself and Kantar (Public Division) – independent research agency
About the client: Research on behalf of SMC
Aims of the research: Explain that the research aims to provide insight into facilitators and barriers to encourage businesses to increase the amount of training and career guidance offered to low-skilled workers through conducting case study research with businesses, then designing and testing interventions for the businesses. The businesses will remain anonymous
Purpose of discussion: Explain that this discussion is part of the scoping phase of the research. Will enable research team to get up to speed and to gain a full understanding of the contexts, challenges and opportunities within the different sectors of interest
How their information will be used: Their views and experiences, along with other experts in this area, will be used to inform the development of research materials to be used with businesses
Ethical considerations: Anonymity, confidentiality, voluntary participation – names will not be used in the reporting
Duration: 60 minutes
Reassurances: No right or wrong answers - we are simply asking for people’s views
Reminder about audio recording: the discussion will be recorded so that we can accurately capture their views, and so researchers can listen back. The recorder is encrypted and only the research team will have access to the recordings
Any questions/concerns?
Start recording: acknowledge consent for being recorded

Background and context (5 minutes)

Participant introductions

Name, role, organisations
Interest in social mobility

Brief overview of participant views on the importance of training and career guidance for low-skilled workers

Do they think offering training and career guidance to low-skilled workers is important? Why?
How they think training/career guidance is seen/understood/engaged with by others
Business leaders
Employers
Employees

Employers and training/career guidance (20 minutes)

Researcher to explain that while we recognise there are likely to be bigger priorities for businesses, we want to focus in on offering training/career guidance to lower skilled workers for the rest of the conversation.

Explore their perceptions of businesses’ attitudes towards offering training/career guidance

How much of a priority is it for businesses to consistently offer training/career guidance
Why do businesses offer training/career guidance – what are their key drivers to
Explore variation across sectors, specifically retail, industrial and hospitality
Explore anticipated variations across business size
Reasons for attitudes towards training/career guidance
Explore actions being taken by businesses to implement training/career guidance
Explore variation across sectors, specifically retail, industrial and hospitality
Explore variation across business size
Reasons for taking these actions
Explore if/how attitudes have developed over time – has this become more/less of a priority for businesses
Explore why it has changed

Explore the opportunities that training/career guidance offers businesses

What opportunities businesses might see from offering training/career guidance to lower skilled workers
Increased productivity, happier workforce, staff retention
To what extent are businesses aware of these benefits
Extent to which these opportunities vary between business size
Extent to which these opportunities vary between sectors and why
Retail, industrial, hospitality
Where does the direction for training/career guidance come from within a business
Who decides the priorities, areas of focus, amount of time to commit, which employees should be involved
How does this vary by sector/business size

Explore the challenges that offering training/career guidance poses for businesses

What challenges offering training/career guidance has for businesses
Business planning, continuity, risk of staff leaving, productivity
Extent to which challenges vary by business size
Extent to which challenges vary by sector
Retail, industrial, hospitality
Any strategies to overcome these challenges
From businesses
From government
From staff

Explore the facilitators for employers to offer training/career guidance

What makes it easier for employers to provide opportunities
Policy, advice, type of employees
Variation by business size
Variation by sector
What more could be done to make it easier to provide opportunities
By government, by employees, by sector representatives

Employees and training/career guidance (15 minutes)

Explore their perceptions of workers’ attitudes towards being offered training/career guidance

Do the opportunities offered to employees differ depending on skill level
Explore how and why
Extent to which low skilled workers have responded to training/career guidance
Levels of awareness of offer
Uptake levels
Types of training most commonly engaged with/in demand
Extent to which attitudes vary between sectors
Retail, industrial, hospitality
Reasons why these sectors may have less uptake
Extent to which attitudes vary based on demographics
Gender, age, location of worker, type of worker (PT, FT, contract etc)
Explore if/how attitudes have developed over time
Are there differences between how lower skilled workers treat training opportunities compared to higher skilled workers
Explore how and why

Explore the opportunities that training/career guidance offers individuals

What opportunities individuals might see from being offered training/career guidance
Investment in company, higher quality of work, wellbeing
Explore main beneficiaries of training/career guidance
Differences in uptake between levels of seniority, gender, life stage
What makes it easier for employees to take up training/career guidance
Clear policies, management offering and supporting training/career guidance
Explore differences in opportunities across sectors
Retail, industrial, hospitality

Explore the barriers/challenges that workers face in taking up training/career guidance

What might stop a worker from taking up training/career guidance
Awareness, support of management, relevance of training, time
Extent to which this varies by sector – retail, industrial, hospitality
Extent to which this varies by business size
Any strategies to overcome these challenges in uptake
From businesses
From government
Extent to which strategies vary by sector – retail, industrial, hospitality
Extent to which strategies vary by business size

Influences on training and career guidance uptake (5 minutes)

Explore key influencers of training/career guidance uptake

Who the key influencers of training/career guidance uptake are
Business leaders, government, unions, workers
Relative influence of each influencer mentioned
Actions taken by businesses that increase uptake
Advertising policy, managers attending/delivering training
Extent to which this varies by sector

Document suggestion (5 minutes)

Researcher to explain that we will be conducting a review of literature around the topic of training/career guidance

Recommendations of literature to review
Academic literature, policy papers, think tank reports
How each one will build on training/career guidance

Close (2 minutes)

Final thoughts / comments
Explain what comes next in the research process
Thank and close

Question 4

Appendix 4: Policy and sector expert interviews topic guide

Accepted Answer

Introduction (5 minutes)

Thanks and Introduction: Introduce yourself and Kantar (Public Division) – independent research agency
About the client: Research on behalf of SMC
Aims of the research: Explain that the research aims to provide insight into facilitators and barriers to encourage businesses to increase the amount of training and career guidance offered to low-skilled workers through conducting case study research with businesses, then designing and testing interventions for the businesses. The businesses will remain anonymous
Purpose of discussion: Explain that this discussion is part of the scoping phase of the research. Will enable research team to get up to speed and to gain a full understanding of the contexts, challenges and opportunities within the different sectors of interest
How their information will be used: Their views and experiences, along with other experts in this area, will be used to inform the development of research materials to be used with businesses
Ethical considerations: Anonymity, confidentiality, voluntary participation – names will not be used in the reporting
Duration: 60 minutes
Reassurances: No right or wrong answers - we are simply asking for people’s views.
Reminder about audio recording: the discussion will be recorded so that we can accurately capture their views, and so researchers can listen back. The recorder is encrypted and only the research team will have access to the recordings
Any questions/concerns?
Start recording: acknowledge consent for being recorded

Participant background (5 minutes)

Participant introductions
Name, role, organisations
Interest in social mobility

Brief overview of participant views on the importance of training and career guidance for low-skilled workers

Do they think offering training and career guidance to low-skilled workers is important? Why?
How they think training/career guidance is seen/understood/engaged with by others (Business leaders / Employers / Employees)

Employers and training/career guidance (15 minutes)

Researcher to explain that we will now talk about employers’ attitudes to offering training/career guidance in practice. Where participant is an expert in a specific sector, tailor questions to their sector of interest.

Explore their perceptions of businesses’ attitudes towards offering training/career guidance

Is encouraging training/career guidance something which business leaders support and want to invest in:

Explore reasons why / why it is not supported
Opportunity to gain qualification
Explore understanding of support within their sector of expertise
Does this vary within other sectors
Retail, industrial, hospitality
Explore impact of size of company

Explore actions being taken by businesses – how is this support demonstrated/not

Variations in business size, sector
Reasons for taking these actions
Any examples within their sector of expertise

Explore the opportunities that training/career guidance offers businesses

What opportunities businesses might see from offering employees training/career guidance to lower skilled workers?

Increased productivity, happier workforce, staff retention
Are there certain factors relevant to specific sectors

Extent to which these opportunities vary between business size and sectors

Retail, industrial, hospitality
Explore within their sector of expertise
Impact of size of company / level of worker / management

Explore the current take up of training/career guidance in their given sector

Reasons
Similarities / differences in comparison to other sectors
Impact of size of company / level of worker / management

Explore drivers to these perceptions / behaviours

Explore the challenges that offering training/career guidance poses for businesses

What challenges offering training/career guidance has for businesses
Business planning, continuity, consistency, productivity, cost
Why are some businesses resistant to offering training/career guidance to lower skilled workers
Explore whether and why businesses within their sector of expertise can be resistant to offering training/career guidance to lower skilled workers
Extent to which challenges vary by business size and sector
Any strategies to overcome these challenges (from businesses, government and employees)

Explore the facilitators for employers to offer training/career guidance

What makes it easier for employers to provide opportunities

Policy, advice, type of employees
Variation by business size, sector, level of workers

What more could be done to make it easier to provide opportunities

By government, by employees, by sector/union representatives

Employees and training/career guidance (15 minutes)

Researcher note: where participant is a sector expert, tailor questions to their sector of interest.

Explore their perceptions of workers’ attitudes towards being offered training/career guidance

Extent to which low skilled workers have responded to training/career guidance

Levels of awareness of offer
Uptake levels
Types of training most commonly engaged with/in demand within their sector of expertise

Extent to which attitudes vary between sectors

Retail, industrial, hospitality
Reasons why these sectors may have less uptake

Extent to which attitudes vary based on demographics

Gender, age, location of worker, level of academic attainment/qualifications, type of worker (PT, FT, contract etc)

Explore if/how attitudes have developed over time

Are there differences between how lower skilled workers treat training opportunities compared to higher skilled workers

Explore how and why

Opportunity to gain qualification

Explore the opportunities that training/career guidance offers individuals

What opportunities individuals might see from being offered training/career guidance

Investment in company, higher quality of work, wellbeing

Explore main beneficiaries of training/career guidance

Differences in uptake between levels of seniority, gender, life stage

What makes it easier for employees to take up training/career guidance

Clear policies, management offering and supporting training/career guidance

Explore differences in opportunities across sectors

Retail, industrial, hospitality

Explore the barriers/challenges that workers face in taking up training/career guidance

What might stop a worker from taking up training/career guidance

Awareness, support of management, relevance of training, time
Extent to which this varies by sector – retail, industrial, hospitality
Extent to which this varies by business size

Any strategies to overcome these challenges in uptake

From businesses
From government
Extent to which strategies vary by sector – retail, industrial, hospitality
Extent to which strategies vary by business size

Sector context (15 minutes)

Researcher note: only ask participant this section if they are an industrial, retail or hospitality expert and it has not already been covered by the above

Explore key influencers of training/career guidance uptake

Who the key influencers of training/career guidance uptake are within sector

Business leaders, government, unions, workers
Relative influence of each influencer mentioned
Specific tools/strategies used that been used to influence employers
How effective / not effective

Actions taken by businesses that increase uptake

Advertising policy, managers attending/delivering training

Explore steps being taken to offset some of the difficulties faced

Explore steps being taken to change/reshape attitudes towards in work training / career guidance and encourage take up

Document suggestion (5 minutes)

Researcher to explain that we will be conducting a review of literature around the topic of in work training and career guidance

Recommendations of literature to review

Academic literature, policy papers, think tank reports
How each one will build on in work training/career guidance knowledge

Close (5 minutes)

Final thoughts / comments
Explain what comes next in the research process
Thank and close

Question 5

Appendix 5: Managers / HR leads interviews topic guide

Accepted Answer

Introduction (5 minutes)

Thanks and Introduction: Introduce yourself and Kantar (Public Division) – independent research agency
About the client: Research on behalf of the Social Mobility Commission
Aims of the research: Explain that the research aims to provide insight into facilitators and barriers to encouraging businesses to increase the amount of in-work training and career guidance offered to low-skilled workers
Purpose of discussion: Explain that this discussion is part of the scoping phase of the research. Will enable research team to get up to speed and to gain a full understanding of the contexts, challenges and opportunities within the different sectors of interest – including theirs
How their information will be used: Their views and experiences, along with other businesses, will be used to inform the development of research materials for the rest of the project
Ethical considerations: Anonymity, confidentiality, voluntary participation – names and name of their business will not be used in the reporting
Duration: 60 minutes
Reassurances: No right or wrong answers - we are simply asking for people’s views
Reminder about audio recording: the discussion will be recorded so that we can accurately capture their views, and so researchers can listen back. The recorder is encrypted and only the research team will have access to the recordings
Any questions/concerns?
Start recording: acknowledge consent for being recorded

Participant background (5 minutes)

Participant introductions

Name - role in business
Background to the business – size, sector, age
Role in relation to in-work training/career guidance

Overview of the business structure

Offices, sites, factories
How does management work throughout the business
Progression pathways
What are a line managers’ main responsibilities and priorities
Which roles within the business are filled by lower skilled workers

In-work training in their business (20 minutes)

Researcher to explain that we want to focus on offering in-work training/career guidance to lower skilled workers for the rest of the conversation

Explore in-work training currently offered to low-skilled workers

Explore what types of in-work training are available

Formal / informal (including any accredited)
Any policies in place
How is it decided what training will be offered and to whom
What is it the business hopes to achieve by offering in-work training
Who is encouraged to participate / how are they encouraged (line manager, made mandatory)

Explore any differences between training offered to low and higher skilled workers in terms of what training they get

What are the differences in training
Why are there differences

Explore levels of uptake of in-work training and barriers to uptake

Explore current levels of uptake of in-work training
Any differences between demographics / roles / levels
Explore variation in uptake between different forms of in-work training
Formal training (certificated/accredited) / external trainer / internal trainer
Any differences between demographics / roles / levels / level of academic attainment / qualifications /type of worker (PT, FT, contract etc)

Explore understanding of employee demand for in-work training

Why do employees attend training
What value do their employees place on it
What are they looking to achieve
What makes it worthwhile for them
Increased productivity, happier workforce, staff retention

Explore if/how attitudes have changed over time

Are there differences between how lower skilled workers treat training opportunities compared to higher skilled workers
Explore how and why

Explore barriers and motivators to businesses providing in-work training to low-skilled workers

Explore motivators / benefits (if any) to the business providing in-work training opportunities

Upskilling workforce, staff progression and retention, happier workforce
Explore barriers to the business providing in-work training opportunities
Cost, business planning / continuity, risk of staff leaving, poor staff attendance

Explore what could encourage / facilitate the business to increase in-work training opportunities

Government policy, communication / education on the benefits to business and employees
Awareness / experiences of government interventions to encourage take up
Positives / negatives of hard or soft encouragement from government

Explore barriers and motivators to employee uptake of in-work training

Explore motivators / benefits (if any) to employees taking up in-work training opportunities

Qualifications, career progression, upskilling

Explore barriers to employees taking up in-work training opportunities

Time, lack of encouragement / support from management, lack of interest

Explore how the business could encourage employee uptake of in-work training opportunities

Guidance, communication of policy, communication / education on the benefits to employees, support from senior management

Career guidance in their business (15 minutes)

Explore career guidance offered to low-skilled workers

Explore what types of career guidance/opportunities for career conversations are available (if any)

Formal / informal
Appraisals, annual reviews, objectives etc
Any policies that inform these
Who is encouraged to participate / how are they encouraged (line manager, made mandatory)
How is it decided who is offered career guidance / conversations

Explore their views on why employers offer career guidance/conversations - what are they looking to achieve, what makes it worthwhile for them

How much of a priority is it the leadership team – explore why
What value do they see in offering career guidance and why
What are their motivations to offering career guidance

Explore any differences between career conversations offered/held to low and higher skilled workers in terms of what advice they get

What are the differences
Why are there differences

Explore employee views of career guidance/conversations

Explore employee feelings towards career guidance/conversations being offered
Explore perception of the value employees place on career guidance/conversations
Explore variation in employees – Any differences between demographics / roles / levels, level of academic attainment/qualifications / type of worker (PT, FT, contract etc)
Are there differences between how lower skilled workers treat career guidance/conversations compared to higher skilled workers – Explore how and why

Explore barriers and motivators to businesses offering career guidance / conversations

Explore motivators / benefits (if any) to the business providing career guidance

Staff retention and progression, happier workforce

Explore barriers to the business offering career guidance / conversations

Time, experience of managers, lack of progression opportunities available

Explore what could encourage / facilitate the business to prioritise having more, better quality conversations

Guidance, policy, communication / education on the benefits to the business and employees

Explore barriers and motivators to employee uptake of career guidance / conversations

Explore motivators / benefits (if any) to employees engaging with career guidance / conversations

Awareness of progression opportunities, staff retention, happier workforce

Explore barriers to employees engaging with career guidance / conversations

Time, lack of (or lack of knowledge of) progression opportunities available

Explore how the business could encourage employee uptake of career guidance

Communication/education on the benefits to employees

Outcomes and impact (10 minutes)

Explore future plans for offering in-work training/career guidance

What aspects of their policy / actions that they will keep the same in the future
- Reasons
What aspects of their policy / actions they will change in the future
- Reasons

Benefits of increasing the amount of in-house training/career guidance offered

Extent to which the business anticipates there would be benefits
- Staff retention, happier workforce, productivity, greater range of applicants to vacancies
- Whether / how this is being measured
Extent to which employees have recognised benefits of receiving in-work training/career guidance
Extent to which the benefits vary by role / level / demographics (age, gender etc.)

Challenges of increasing offer of in-work training/career guidance

Extent to which the business has recognises challenges
Extent to which there have been challenges for employees to take up training opportunities/career guidance
Extent to which the challenges vary by role / level / demographics (age, gender etc.)
Recommendations they would make to other businesses to offset these challenges

Close (5 minutes)

One piece of advice/support which would encourage a business to offer/encourage take up of in-work training/career guidance

Explain what comes next in the research process – explain case study research and gauge interest in taking part

A Kantar researcher would spend 1 to 2 days with the business (could be split between different sites):

speaking to staff at different levels
observing practices (could attend a training session)
looking at policies or communication about training or career guidance
experiencing the culture

Incentive would be offered

Happy to be recontacted with more information about potentially taking part?

Researcher to record in chart for Field.

Confirm incentive process - £50 PERKS/ PayPal
Thank and close

Question 6

Appendix 6: Managers / HR leads achieved sample

Accepted Answer

Total: 25

Sector

Sector	Number
Industrial	9
Retail	9
Food service	7

Business size

Size	Number
0-9 employees	0
10-49 employees	8
50-249 employees	7
250+ employees	10

Urban/rural

Type of location	Number
In a town	12
In the suburbs of town	8
Out of town	5

Location

Region	Number
Greater London	1
South East	4
South West	1
West Midlands	1
North West	3
North East	2
Yorkshire and The Humber	0
East Midlands	1
East of England	0
Scotland	0
Wales	6
Northern Ireland	6

Question 7

Appendix 7: Case studies topic guide

Accepted Answer

Interview with lead contact and any other strategic leadership interviews (60 minutes)

This should be conducted at the start of the visit with the lead contact in order to provide an overview of the organisation, context, and current state of play with regards to training and progression, before the site walk takes place. This guide is also to be used for any interviews with senior, HR, L&D or similar personnel after the site walk.

Introduction (3 minutes)

To set the tone of the interview, provide clarity on what is expected of the participant, offer #

Thanks and Introduction: Introduce yourself and Kantar – independent research agency
Client: Research on behalf of Social Mobility Commission
Aims of the research: Explain that the research aims to provide insight into facilitators and barriers to encouraging businesses to increase the amount of in-work training and career guidance offered to low-skilled workers
Purpose of discussion: Explain that this interview forms part of a case study for their business. We want to understand the key facilitators and barriers to providing training and supporting career progression in their organisation, for low skilled workers to help us to understand what steps or actions might help to improve uptake of opportunities in their business and others in their sector. If necessary: low skilled = no qualifications beyond Functional Skills Level 2 or GCSE.
How their information will be used: Their views and experiences, along with the other 7 business case studies, will be used to inform the development of targeted interventions aimed at increasing rates of training and instances of supporting career progression, where appropriate. These will be trialled with the business and evaluated, with the consent of the appropriate staff in the business.
Ethical considerations: Anonymity, confidentiality, voluntary participation – names (theirs or their business’) will not be used in the reporting
Duration: 60 minutes (45 where not possible to do 60 minutes)
Reassurances: No right or wrong answers - we are simply asking for people’s views.
Audio recording: the discussion will be recorded so that we can accurately capture their views, and so researchers can listen back. The recorder is encrypted and only the research team will have access to the recordings.
Any questions/concerns?
Start recording: acknowledge consent for being recorded

Background and context (10 minutes)

Participant introduction

Role in the business – more broadly, specifically in relation to training and enabling progression
Length of time in the business
Any other relevant career history

Overview of the business

Sector, products / services, size, age
Shift work / speed of turnaround
Reputation as an employer and to what extent a priority

Overview of business structure

Sites, management set up
Which types of roles are filled by low-skilled workers

Overview of business hierarchy

Low-skilled roles vs managerial roles rough ratio
How does people management work in the company

Overview of HR culture of business

Staff turnover rates
Prevalent age brackets of low-skilled workers
Proportion of employees belonging to a union
To what extent the frontline workers have a say in how company is run

Current situation regarding training and progression

Brief overview of current training offer
Brief overview of progression pathways

Consider (understanding and perceptions of in-work training and the company’s role in supporting progression) (10 minutes)

Spontaneous perception of training

What does in-work training for low skilled workers mean to them? Listen for a description that suggests it is ‘for the current role’ vs beyond that, or is structured vs on-the-job

Views on training

What types of training they think should be offered to low-skilled workers in their business and sector

Any types of training that are not appropriate and reasons

Attitudes on the value of in-work training when it is beyond the role

Explore perceived benefits for the business
Concerns with providing this for business

Preference for structured or on-the-job training

Any concerns about or barriers to providing in-work training to low-skilled workers

Views on career conversations and progression guidance

Attitudes towards providing career conversations to low-skilled workers

Explore perceived benefits for the business
Concerns with / barriers to providing this

Create (designing policies on training and career progression) (5 minutes)

How the training policy is designed

How is it decided what training to provide to who

What considerations are taken into account when deciding this

And specifically to low-skilled workers

Methods of gauging demand for type of training

To what extent is there close liaison with frontline

Company’s progression policy and reasons for its design

Culture around progression / internal promotion in the company etc.

Any strong divides between white and blue collar, management and frontline, other?

Any roles predominantly one gender / age bracket

Did they progress internally. If so:

How did they find that
How did they go about doing that
Did they feel supported in progressing

Prevalence of progression from the frontline

Predominantly to one role or to a variety. Clear pathways?

What considerations are taken into account when deciding what the policy around progression ought to be

How would they go about increasing internal promotions / progression

Communicate (communicating policies on training and career conversations) (15 minutes)

Explore communication of training to employees

How training policies are communicated to employees

Format, tone, frequency
Who delivers the communications – reasons
Who is training beyond the role communicated to – reasons

Explore effectiveness of communications for training

Perceived effectiveness of the aforementioned communications

What is working well / less well – reasons
How they think managers / frontline think about communications
Any steps that could improve communications about training

Explore communication of progression opportunities / policy / career conversations to employees

How progression opportunities / policy are communicated to employees

Format, tone, frequency
Who delivers the communications – reasons
Who are progression opportunities communicated to – reasons

If internally promotes: how are internal promotions communicated (format, frequency, messenger(s))

How are personal goals organised and personal / performance review policies communicated

Explore effectiveness of communications for progression opportunities / policy / career conversations

Perceived effectiveness of the aforementioned communications

What is working well / less well – reasons
How they think managers / frontline think about communications
Any steps that could improve communications about internal promotions / progression opportunities / career conversations

Explore responses to communications

Explore how employees have responded to the:

training communications
progression-related communications
Differences by level, demographic – perceived reasons
How this compared with expected responses to communications

How employees could better communicate with them about training they’ll attend, can’t make, want to see etc.

How employees could better communicate with them about desires for trying new things and progressing internally

Engaging middle and frontline levels

How would they get managers to talk to their staff more about progression

Overcoming issues of engagement of managers
Overcoming issues of engagement of low-skilled workers

Commit (embedding policy on training and supporting career progression) (10 minutes)

Who in their company champions in-work training

What levels are they
Do line managers receive training on management

Explore extent to which steps have been taken to embed training into culture

Reasons for taking / not taking these steps

Explore further steps that could be taken to embed these policies

Likelihood of taking these steps – reasons
Priorities for next steps

Explore extent to which steps have been taken to embed regular internal progression into culture

Reasons for taking / not taking these steps

Explore further steps that could be taken to embed these policies

Likelihood of taking these steps – reasons
Priorities for next steps

Future thinking (5 minutes)

Explore any future plans for increasing in work training

Any expected challenges or barriers to implementing these

Explore any future plans for supporting career guidance

Any expected challenges or barriers to implementing these

Close (2 minutes)

Final thoughts / comments

Explain what comes next in the research process

Explain incentive arrangements for the day

Thank and close

Interview with middle management (40 minutes)

Introduction (2 minutes)

To set the tone of the interview, provide clarity on what is expected of the participant, offer #

Thanks and Introduction: Introduce yourself and Kantar – independent research agency
Client: Research on behalf of Social Mobility Commission
Aims of the research: Explain that the research aims to provide insight into facilitators and barriers to encouraging businesses to increase the amount of in-work training and career guidance offered to low-skilled workers
Purpose of discussion: Explain that this interview forms part of a case study for their business. We want to understand the key facilitators and barriers to providing training and supporting career progression in their organisation, for low skilled workers to help us to understand what steps or actions might help to improve uptake of opportunities in their business and others in their sector. If necessary: low skilled = no qualifications beyond GCSE.
How their information will be used: Their views and experiences, along with the other 7 business case studies, will be used to inform the development of targeted interventions aimed at increasing rates of training and instances of supporting career progression, where appropriate. These will be trialled with the business and evaluated, with the consent of the appropriate staff in the business.
Ethical considerations: Anonymity, confidentiality, voluntary participation – names (theirs or their business’) will not be used in the reporting
Duration: 40 minutes
Reassurances: No right or wrong answers - we are simply asking for people’s views.
Audio recording: the discussion will be recorded so that we can accurately capture their views, and so researchers can listen back. The recorder is encrypted and only the research team will have access to the recordings.
Any questions/concerns?
Start recording: acknowledge consent for being recorded

Background and context (6 minutes)

Participant introduction

Role in the business
Length of time in the business
How many people they manage / supervise (all low-skilled?)
Age profile
FT/PT
How do they feel managing people
Were they trained / supported sufficiently
How do they feel talking to the people they manager about long term goals and progression

Current situation regarding training and progression

How often do they meet the people they manage
Their responsibilities and priorities (more day to day management or longer-term progression conversations)
How training is currently provided to workers and their role (if any) in this

Consider (understanding and perceptions of in-work training and the company’s role in supporting progression) (7 minutes)

Spontaneous perception of training

What does in-work training for low-skilled workers mean to them? Listen for a description that suggests its ‘for the current role’ vs beyond that, or is structured vs on-the-job

Views on training

What types of training they think should be offered to low-skilled workers in their business and sector

Any types of training that are not appropriate and reasons

Attitudes on the value of in-work training when it is beyond the role

Explore perceived benefits for the business
Concerns with providing this for business

Preference for structured or on-the-job training

Any challenges in getting the people they manage to take up training

Views on career conversations and progression guidance

Attitudes towards providing career conversations to low-skilled workers

Explore perceived benefits for the business
Concerns with providing this

Any challenges in getting the people they manage to ‘step up’ and try new things

Create (designing a policy on training and career progression) (5 minutes)

Company’s progression policy and reasons for its design

Culture around progression / internal promotion in the company etc.

Any strong divides between white and blue collar, management and frontline, other?
Any roles predominantly one gender / age bracket

Did they progress internally. If so:

How did they find that
How did they go about doing that
Did they feel supported in progressing

Prevalence of progression from the frontline

Predominantly to one role or to a variety. Clear pathways?

Company’s current training policy

What training is offered and to why
Content of training
Balance between in-work and external providers
How would they go about increasing internal promotions / progression

Communicate (communicating policies on training and career conversations) (8 minutes)

Explore communication of training to employees

How training policies are communicated to middle managers and to frontline

Format, tone, frequency
Who delivers the communications – reasons
Who is training beyond the role communicated to – reasons

Perceived effectiveness of the aforementioned communications

What is working well / less well – reasons
Any steps that could improve communications about training or internal promotions/progression

Explore how employees have responded to the training communications

Differences by level, demographic – perceived reasons
How this compared with expected responses to communications

How employees could better communicate with them about training they’ll attend, can’t make, want to see etc.

Does this occur?

Explore communication of career guidance to employees

How progression opportunities / policies are communicated to middle managers and to frontline

Format, tone, frequency
Who delivers the communications – reasons

If internally promotes: how are internal promotions communicated (format, frequency, messenger(s))

How are personal goals organised and personal / performance review policies communicated

Perceived effectiveness of the aforementioned communications

What is working well / less well – reasons
Any steps that could improve communications about training or internal promotions / progression

Explore how employees have responded to the progression-related communications

Differences by level, demographic – perceived reasons
How this compared with expected responses to communications

How employees could better communicate with them about desires for trying new things and progressing internally

Any issues in engaging the people they manage with performance reviews, progression etc.

What exactly is causing the problem
Perceived remedies

Commit (embedding policy on training and supporting career progression) (6 minutes)

Who in their company champions in-work training

What levels are they

Explore extent to which steps have been taken to embed training into culture

Reasons for taking / not taking these steps

Explore further steps that could be taken to embed these policies

Likelihood of taking these steps – reasons
Priorities for next steps

Explore extent to which steps have been taken to embed regular internal progression into culture

Reasons for taking / not taking these steps

Explore further steps that could be taken to embed these policies

Likelihood of taking these steps – reasons
Priorities for next steps

Future thinking (4 minutes)

Explore awareness of any future plans for increasing in work training

Any expected challenges or barriers to implementing these

Explore awareness of future plans for supporting progression

Any expected challenges or barriers to implementing these

Explore recommendations

What could be done to help them increase the support they provide to the people they manage to progress
What could be done to help them increase the take up of internal promotions in the business
Explore ideas for future interventions

Close (2 minutes)

Final thoughts / comments
Explain what comes next in the research process
Explain incentive arrangements for the day
Thank and close

Interview with frontline (30 minutes)

Researcher note: ensure that interviews are confidential and are undertaken without more senior members of staff present

Introduction (2 minutes)

To set the tone of the interview, provide clarity on what is expected of the participant, offer

Thanks and Introduction: Introduce yourself and Kantar – independent research agency
Client: Research on behalf of Social Mobility Commission
Aims of the research: Explain that the research aims to provide insight into facilitators and barriers to encouraging businesses to increase the amount of in-work training and career guidance offered to low-skilled workers
Purpose of discussion: Explain that this interview forms part of a case study for their business. We want to understand the key facilitators and barriers to providing training and supporting career progression in their organisation, for low skilled workers to help us to understand what steps or actions might help to improve uptake of opportunities in their business and others in their sector. If necessary: low skilled = no qualifications beyond GCSE.
How their information will be used: Their views and experiences, along with the other 7 business case studies, will be used to inform the development of targeted interventions aimed at increasing rates of training and instances of supporting career progression, where appropriate. These will be trialled with the business and evaluated, with the consent of the appropriate staff in the business.
Ethical considerations: Anonymity, confidentiality, voluntary participation – names (theirs or their business) will not be used in the reporting
Duration: 30 minutes
Reassurances: No right or wrong answers - we are simply asking for people’s views.
Audio recording: the discussion will be recorded so that we can accurately capture their views, and so researchers can listen back. The recorder is encrypted and only the research team will have access to the recordings.
Any questions/concerns?
Start recording: acknowledge consent for being recorded

Background and context (3 minutes)

Participant introduction

Role in the business
Length of time in the business
Any other relevant career history
How this job fits with their work plans for the future
Whether member of a union

Overview of the business from frontline perspective

Products/services
Shift work / working hours
Speed of turnaround
Reputation as an employer (locally)
Progression pathways and clarity
How often do low skilled workers meet with their managers/supervisors
Line managers’ priorities (more day to day management or longer-term progression conversations)
To what extent the frontline workers have a say in how company is run. How so?

Consider (understanding and perceptions of in-work training and the company’s role in supporting progression) (7 minutes)

Explore spontaneous perceptions of in-work training

What does in-work training mean to them? Listen for a description that suggests its ‘for the current role’ vs beyond that, or is structured vs on-the-job

Relevance to them specifically

Explore attitudes towards in-work training in the business

Past / present experience of education – did /do they enjoy learning, formal / informal

Any types of training that are not appropriate for them that they’ve come across, and reasons

Attitudes on the value of in work training when it is beyond the role

Desired?
Past experiences of training
Explore perceived benefits for them
Concerns and costs
Dislikes / discomforts

Preference for structured or on-the-job training

Attitudes towards having career conversations

Explore perceived benefits for themselves
Concerns with having these

Explore their attitude toward progression and attitudes towards and experiences of in- work careers guidance

Have they thought about where they see themselves in 2-5 years? Why not if not? Where if so?

Whether desire to progress in the business – why / why not?

Whether have a plan. Timescales

How did they form it if so
Reasons for not having one
Who would they communicate it to / who have they communicated it to
Steps needed to get there. Probe for clarity
Resources to get there. How can they get those?
Training needed to get there. How can they get that

Whether progression would be outside the company or not

Is progression common in their company
Relationship with managers

Create (designing a policy on training and career progression) (5 minutes)

Overview of training policy

What do they think of the training on offer

Quantity
Quality
Relevance
Accessibility

Is any of it accredited

Would they like it to be and why
Why do they think the training on offer is as it is / who designs it

Overview of policy regarding progression and career conversations

How often do they chat to their LM / supervisor about career aspirations (if ever)
Relationship with LM
Attitudes towards having career chats and past experiences

Explore their role in creating the policy

Can they influence training on offer?
How? Explore ease of doing so

Communicate (communicating policies on training and career conversations) (4 minutes)

Explore how the training on offer is communicated to the frontline

By who, format, tone, frequency, notice given

Explore effectiveness of communications – accessibility, gaps, ways to improve

Explore how the culture of supporting progression is communicated to the frontline

Do you get notified when a role above you opens up

By who

Formalness of application process to fill vacancies above

Something they talk about with their LM

Do they talk with their LM about progression outside the company or the department

Commit (embedding a policy on training and supporting career progression) (4 minutes)

Who in their company champions in-work training

What levels are they
Have / could they ever request(ed) to go on training or for new training to be provided
Who to? Experiences of that
If some workers are unionised: does union play a role in providing training?
Attitudes towards any of that

Explore confidence in requesting elements that facilitate progression

Who would they ask and how do / would they feel about asking…

for a promotion
to get involved in different work
to shadow someone else

Future thinking (3 minutes)

Any awareness of future plans for training

Awareness of future plans for supporting progression

How have these been communicated

Explore recommendations

What could be done to help the company increase training provision and uptake in the business
What could be done to help the company increase the support provided for progression in the business

Close (2 minutes)

Final thoughts / comments
Explain what comes next in the research process
Incentive
Thank and close

Introduction for the site walk

Introduction

To set the tone of the interview, provide clarity on what is expected of the participant, offer #

Explain to the participant that you would like them to give you a tour of the workplace, so that you can understand in more detail the context in which employees are working and the challenges the business faces when trying to provide more training or getting people to show up.
Explain that along the way we would like to ask them some questions about how things work in their organisation. We would also like to ask a few people (frontline and managers) some quick questions where possible (ideally at the end of the tour). Explain that we would like to hear their views and experiences of training and of progression in this context.
Ask permission to take photographs during the tour. Explain that we will anonymise people and the company and will not take photographs where permission is not given.
Check if the participant has any questions or concerns.

Introduction to shadow a frontline worker

Introduction

To set the tone of the interview, provide clarity on what is expected of the participant, offer #

Explain to the worker you’ve been arranged to shadow that you would like to spend time with them while they work to understand in more detail the context in which employees are working and where any barriers in the process might make it difficult for training to fit in, as well as to get a better sense of how the different components of the business interact.
Explain that we will make an effort not to get in the way but if it’s appropriate we might ask them or their colleagues to explain things to us.
Ask permission to take photographs during the time shadowing. Explain that we will anonymise people and the company and will not take photographs where permission is not given.
Check if the participant has any questions or concerns.

Probe guide for the ethnographic observations (site walk (30 min), worker-shadowing (45 min), training sessions and meetings)

General probes

Researcher note: Use the prompts below where appropriate to explore how the business operates, how the space is used and the business culture. The researcher should adapt the questions based on who they are speaking to at each point. Questions below will be covered by a range of different employees.

Explore the use of physical space in the business

Explore the different sites of the business, if any

Number, function, who is based at each, how often they visit

Explore how different spaces are used

Explore routines / habits in the workplace

Describe what a typical work day involves – what they do when first come in, at breaks, at the end of the day, who they interact with

Is the work quick-turnaround

What does a day look like in terms of intensity and how rushed the workers are (are there peaks and troughs or is it consistent)

What they like about current routine / what they might change

Explore the culture of the business

Explore the hierarchy within the business

Formal structure, how important

Informal power dynamics e.g. based on longevity of service, age group etc.

Any divides

Do the frontline workers use entirely different spaces to the middle / senior managers e.g. for breaks
Is one group predominantly one gender / age bracket; does this facilitate a divide
Do low skilled workers seem competitive
Do many frontline workers have English as a foreign language?
If so explore any specific strategies used in training them

Explore frontline relationship with management / senior leadership

Visibility, formality of interactions etc.
Line management, appraisals

Explore how business communicates key messages to employees (including from noticeboards)

Types of things communicated, how

What works well / less well

Explore perceptions of growth and success within the organisation

What success looks like to the business

What success looks like for each role within the business, how it is rewarded

Explore how employee welfare and satisfaction is managed

Structures in place to ensure employee welfare – effectiveness

How employee satisfaction is measured – key figures

Probes on training and progression in the company

Perceptions of training in the workplace

Extent to which it is seen as relevant / important / accessible

Who they think it is aimed at, differences across levels / demographics

Desire for more training

Awareness of training on offer

How training has been communicated

Experiences of training

Experience of colleagues requesting training

Benefits of training – when has it worked and why

Challenges of training – when has it not worked and why not

Perceptions of progression from the frontline

Are there clear, well-trodden paths – various or one

Are low-skilled workers in the company driven to progress or would they rather stay in their current role

Does the company senior / middle managers expect the frontline to progress internally, to leave, or to stay in their role at length

Awareness of progression pathways

How the policy on progression and internal promotions been communicated

Experiences of progression

Experience of colleagues asking for promotion, company / managers’ reactions and consequences

Prevalence

Document review

Researchers should ask to see any key documents on training and progression that the business is happy to share. Please stress that this should not include any personal information about any members of staff – rather we are interested in any formal policies or communications. Take copies of documents where possible, otherwise photograph any communications and posters.

Types of documents to review:

Past / existing policy documents on internal promotions, supporting progression, and training
Training schedules
Internal vacancy posts that don’t have personal information
Human Resources notes regarding training and progression
Meeting minutes where training, progression and promotion policies have been discussed
Other materials used to communicate the training on offer to employees
Communications on noticeboards

Researcher to capture:

An overview of the content of the document
Any key facts / figures included in the document
Extent to which the document aligns with what has been observed / discussed during the case study visit
Where in the Organisational Practice Model the document is focused (i.e. on creation, but less on communication?)
View on the effectiveness of the document.

Question 8

Appendix 8: Case studies achieved sample

Accepted Answer

Sector

Sector	Number
Industrial	2
Retail	4
Food service	4

Business size

Sector	Number
Industrial	2
Retail	4
Food service	4

Low-skilled employee training

Training offered	Number
Not offered any training	9
Training to do their current role	1
Training on skills beyond their current role	1

Union recogniser

Status	Number
Recognisers	1
Non-recognisers	9

Location

Region	Number
Greater London	3
South East	3
South West	0
West Midlands	2
North West	0
North East	0
Yorkshire and the Humber	0
East Midlands	0
East of England	1
Scotland	0
Wales	1
Northern Ireland	0

Question 9

About the Commission

Accepted Answer

The Social Mobility Commission is an independent advisory non-departmental public body established under the Life Chances Act 2010 as modified by the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. It has a duty to assess progress in improving social mobility in the UK and to promote social mobility in England.

The Commission board comprises:

Sandra Wallace, Interim Co-Chair, Joint Managing Director Europe at DLA Piper
Steven Cooper, Interim Co-Chair, Chief Executive Officer, C. Hoare & Co
Alastair da Costa, Chair of Capital City College Group
Farrah Storr, Editor-in-chief, Elle
Harvey Matthewson, Aviation Activity Officer at Aerobility and Volunteer
Jessica Oghenegweke, Presenter, BBC Earth Kids
Jody Walker, Senior Vice President at TJX Europe (TK Maxx and Home Sense in the UK)
Liz Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Futuredotnow
Pippa Dunn, Founder of Broody, helping entrepreneurs and start ups
Saeed Atcha, Chief Executive Officer of Youth Leads UK
Sam Friedman, Associate Professor in Sociology at London School of Economics
Sammy Wright, Vice Principal of Southmoor Academy, Sunderland

Question 10

About Kantar Public Division

Accepted Answer

Kantar Public Division specialises in social research. Our specialists provide evidence and capability-building for governments and multilateral organisations to deliver better public policies and communications. https://www.kantar.com/

COM-B is a model that identifies the 3 components: capability, motivation and opportunity are required for an intervention to be effective in changing behaviour. Read more about COM-B. ↩

Cookies on GOV.UK

Appendix 1: Detailed methodology

Research aims

Methodology

Overview

Stage one: Scoping (September 2019 to November 2019)

Stage 2: Case studies (August 2019- April 2020)

Stage 3: Presentation and co-design workshop April 2020

Ethics and data protection

Analytical approach: thematic qualitative analysis

Appendix 2: Rapid Evidence Assessment Protocol

Research questions

Sectors of interest

Search terms

Literature search

Inclusion criteria

Bibliography

Appendix 3: Policy maker focus group topic guide

Introduction (5 minutes)

Background and context (5 minutes)

Participant introductions

Brief overview of participant views on the importance of training and career guidance for low-skilled workers

Employers and training/career guidance (20 minutes)

Explore their perceptions of businesses’ attitudes towards offering training/career guidance

Explore the opportunities that training/career guidance offers businesses

Explore the challenges that offering training/career guidance poses for businesses

Explore the facilitators for employers to offer training/career guidance

Employees and training/career guidance (15 minutes)

Explore their perceptions of workers’ attitudes towards being offered training/career guidance

Explore the opportunities that training/career guidance offers individuals

Explore the barriers/challenges that workers face in taking up training/career guidance

Influences on training and career guidance uptake (5 minutes)

Explore key influencers of training/career guidance uptake

Document suggestion (5 minutes)

Researcher to explain that we will be conducting a review of literature around the topic of training/career guidance

Close (2 minutes)

Appendix 4: Policy and sector expert interviews topic guide

Introduction (5 minutes)

Participant background (5 minutes)

Brief overview of participant views on the importance of training and career guidance for low-skilled workers

Employers and training/career guidance (15 minutes)

Explore their perceptions of businesses’ attitudes towards offering training/career guidance

Explore actions being taken by businesses – how is this support demonstrated/not

Explore the opportunities that training/career guidance offers businesses

Explore the current take up of training/career guidance in their given sector

Explore drivers to these perceptions / behaviours

Explore the challenges that offering training/career guidance poses for businesses

Explore the facilitators for employers to offer training/career guidance

Employees and training/career guidance (15 minutes)

Explore their perceptions of workers’ attitudes towards being offered training/career guidance

Explore if/how attitudes have developed over time

Explore the opportunities that training/career guidance offers individuals

Explore the barriers/challenges that workers face in taking up training/career guidance

Sector context (15 minutes)

Explore key influencers of training/career guidance uptake

Explore steps being taken to offset some of the difficulties faced

Document suggestion (5 minutes)

Recommendations of literature to review

Close (5 minutes)

Appendix 5: Managers / HR leads interviews topic guide

Introduction (5 minutes)

Participant background (5 minutes)

Participant introductions

Overview of the business structure

Explore in-work training currently offered to low-skilled workers

Explore levels of uptake of in-work training and barriers to uptake

Explore understanding of employee demand for in-work training

Explore if/how attitudes have changed over time

Explore barriers and motivators to businesses providing in-work training to low-skilled workers

Explore motivators / benefits (if any) to the business providing in-work training opportunities

Explore barriers and motivators to employee uptake of in-work training

Career guidance in their business (15 minutes)

Explore career guidance offered to low-skilled workers

Explore employee views of career guidance/conversations

Explore barriers and motivators to businesses offering career guidance / conversations

Explore barriers and motivators to employee uptake of career guidance / conversations

Outcomes and impact (10 minutes)

Explore future plans for offering in-work training/career guidance

Benefits of increasing the amount of in-house training/career guidance offered

Challenges of increasing offer of in-work training/career guidance