How friends could help bolster the automotive workforce

Please forgive me this is not an attempt at virtue signalling but I sit as a trustee on a charity called Open Hands that helps to support some of the poorer people in Leicester and Leicestershire. I only mention this to put into context what I am about to say. The chair of the charity has the mantra that ‘the facts are our friend’ this is repeated on many occasions especially when bad news is being reported.

Initially I found it a little irritating but came to realise that in a world where truth is often difficult to disseminate having facts to base decisions upon is fundamental to good management. This may seem blatantly obvious but as Ricky Gervais said at the Oxford Union some years ago ‘some people believe that their opinion is worth as much as your fact.’

Over the last few years Emma Carrigy, the IMI’s Insight and Research Manager has been producing data that when tested is factually correct whether it is good news or bad. Using the ONS vacancies data for the industries in the UK it was reported that the Automotive Sector achieved the unenviable Number 1 slot in February 2024. This top spot was shared with the hospitality sector. For February 2024, the sector recorded a rate of 4.5 vacancies for every 100 employees compared to an average across all sectors of 2.9 and 55% above the average for all industries. Basically, we as a sector are struggling to recruit the right talent.

The sector and that includes all of us must look to see what can be done to rectify this position.

The IMI through the EDI Taskforce has thrown down the challenge of eliminating the barriers of gender, race and disability within the industry to make it more attractive to the whole of society. Organisations such as the 30% club continue to get commitment from companies to address their gender imbalance. The IMI’s digital ‘More to Motor’ campaign supported by Linda Jackson of Peugeot has started to gain traction in its regional target audiences. The digital campaign has to date had over 5 million impressions in just three months and has generated 32,500 clicks from people looking for jobs. This data seems hopeful, but this alone won’t drive us off the top spot in the ONS vacancies league table.

One fact that came out of the research Emma did supporting the EDI Taskforce was that people were more likely to join the industry if a family member worked in it. Personal recommendation seemed to overcome a psychological barrier and people were prepared to see the industry as an opportunity. If we can then onboard people effectively, we are in a position to reduce the number of vacancies and establish through training, people with the right skills to go forward into the future.

If this came about, facts may still be our friend, but our friends could be the thing that changes the facts about our industry.

To find out the latest information about the industry, head to the IMI’s Research page