Imagine finding yourself in a completely different environment and having to start from scratch on pretty much everything? And just to add to this challenge, you’re now in a place where you might not speak the language, or it isn’t your first language.
Sadly, this is the plight of many people who are forced to leave their homes and seek refuge overseas.
Refugees, of whom there are over 480,000 in the UK, often need to completely rebuild their lives after escaping conflict, climate catastrophe or persecution. Getting a job is one of the most important factors in their integration but unfortunately, people with refugee status often face multiple barriers into work.
These include differences in work culture or job application processes, language and communication barriers, their qualifications not being recognised, missing documentation, or difficulties with housing or having a bank account.
These barriers to work mean some people may struggle to make ends meet as they rebuild their lives, with the unemployment rate for refugees in the UK four times higher than the national average.
Starting over
At the CIPD Trust, we often hear about the challenges refugees face as they attempt to rebuild their lives in the UK. Lina, for example, spent years working as a nurse in Ukraine, but found she was repeatedly turned down when she looked for similar work in the UK. Each rejection chipped away at her sense of worth, making her feel as though the life she had built before displacement had been erased.
Likewise, Mukhtar had spent a decade as a civil engineer in Afghanistan, overseeing complex projects that shaped cities, but in the UK his qualifications weren’t recognised, and for the first two years here he worked in a warehouse. He longed to find solutions to complex problems, that could make a real, positive impact on cities in his new home.
Fortunately, through support from HR professionals, both Lina and Mukhtar were able to navigate barriers and find pathways into nursing and engineering careers in the UK.
How hiring refugees can benefit your business
You may not automatically think of refugees as a talent pool to recruit from, but they can bring many in-demand skills and expertise to UK organisations. For example, research from the Commission on the Integration of Refugees shows that a third of refugees in the UK have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a quarter have a master’s degree or equivalent.
Organisations that hire refugees see other business benefits, including high retention rates, especially when support is provided to help them integrate into the organisation, and high levels of employee engagement, leading to higher productivity levels. Refugees often have important skills like adaptability, resilience and cross-cultural understanding, which can enrich teams and drive innovation.
One organisation seeing this firsthand is Pret A Manger, who feature in our CIPD Trust guide to hiring refugees. Its Rising Stars programme, which was set up through the Pret Foundation, expanded in 2008 to include refugee employment and in 2022 it launched a dedicated employment programme to support Ukrainians.
This meant that last year refugees made up 45% of Pret’s Rising Stars and over half of Ukrainian hires are still employed there, with many achieving promotions. At Pret, refugees have proven to be resilient, highly skilled and loyal employees, contributing significantly to their work culture.
By supporting refugees, your business can demonstrate that you’re socially responsible and committed to creating inclusive and equitable opportunities. Not only is this good for the people you employ, but also your bottom-line; enhancing your reputation among stakeholders, clients, and consumers who value ethical business practices.
What you need to know when hiring refugees
Firstly, consider how to make your recruitment process as accessible as possible, especially to those who don’t speak English as their first language. This includes using straightforward terms and avoiding jargon in job advertisements, or explicitly stating that applications from refugees are welcomed, if appropriate.
Applying for a job can be an intimidating process for anyone, but especially for someone new to the UK. Offering skills-based assessments can help refugee applicants demonstrate their capabilities, rather than relying on written or verbal interviews. Its also a good idea to train hiring managers on some of the challenges that refugees experience when applying for jobs.
Settling into a new role can also be daunting, so ongoing support beyond the recruitment and induction stages is also important. Refugees may be psychologically vulnerable, having lived through complex, difficult or traumatic experiences. This doesn’t mean that they’re going to be absent from work or be less productive, but they may need extra support in the workplace, for example a mentor or buddy, or additional training. It’s also important to recognise there are many differences between refugees and their experiences, and support should be tailored to their specific needs.
Meaningful change
There are legal considerations when hiring refugees, for example whether an individual has refugee status or ‘settlement’ in the UK. You should consult current Home Office guidance before employing a foreign national who does not have settled or pre-settled status in the UK.
Our most recent CIPD Trust guide, Hiring refugees: Guide for people professionals, covers relevant legislation, along with practical recommendations for organisations of all sizes. As part of our work supporting refugees into employment, our Rebuilding Futures programme matches expert HR professionals with people with refugee status, to provide specialist mentoring and employment support.
Not only can hiring refugees have significant benefits to your business, but you can also help to create meaningful change by giving someone the chance to thrive.
Sally Eley is Head of the CIPD Trust, which was established to tackle barriers to work through leveraging the unique skills of the people profession. Sally is passionate about supporting under-represented groups get into work and helping people reach their potential.