Goal 5
Open recruitment
Careers should be open to anyone who has the potential to do the job, regardless of their background or where they are from. Organisations who use transparent and accessible recruitment practices are able to mine the talent that is available in every community, driving local economies, as well as the national economy. That is particularly important in less advantaged communities, where an improvement in the social determinants that are known to undermine quality of life – the social, economic and environmental conditions in which people live – is so dependent on reliable and rewarding employment. Many of today’s job opportunities simply did not exist a couple of years ago.
The work experience, support and mentoring which organisations can provide plays a huge role in demystifying the jobs market, particularly in light of the huge changes that have taken place in the way we work. People need to see people who look and sound like them in the roles they aspire to. Their own experience of work, or that of their family and friends, may be limited - if it exists at all - and they need to be able to see people who look and sound like them in the roles they aspire to. With 19 per cent of its employees under 25, compared to a figure of 11 per cent nationally, and 51 per cent under 35, compared to 35 per cent nationally, BGC members are a young and dynamic workforce. The work that they are doing to inform and attract new applicants, from its apprenticeship ambitions outlined under Goal 3 to providing the right advice and experience to potential new recruits means that BGC members are meeting the challenge of Goal 5 Open recruitment. Crucially much of its recruitment takes place in areas of the country where communities have often felt left behind and where there are too few opportunities. 20
In 2019 BGC members employed 119,000 people across the country. 61,000 were in direct employment, 44,000 in indirect jobs and 14,000 in induced jobs. Employment in the North was estimated at 17,000, with GVA totalling £850m. Similarly in the Midlands and Wales, there were 12,000 in employment and the region contributes £600m in GVA. The economic contribution of BGC members to different regions of the UK is also influenced by the distribution of head offices and non-remote betting and gaming venues across the country. There are two cities outside London where major remote betting and gaming operators have head offices – Leeds and Stoke-on-Trent. Leeds is home to the head office of two remote betting and gaming operators. It was estimated that in 2019 these employed around 2,280 staff. In addition, there were approximately 100 LBOs and three casinos, contributing a further 800 jobs directly and 370 jobs through the supply chain and via induced demand. These jobs represented around 1% of employment in Leeds. There are two remote betting and gaming operator head offices based in Stoke-OnTrent, employing around 4,000 staff in 2019 with a further 175 staff directly employed in the 33 LBOs and 230 in the two local casinos. An additional 170 jobs were supported through the supply chain and induced demand. Total employment was estimated to be about 115,000, constituting around 4% of total employment in the area. More recent figures have shown that, despite the effects of the pandemic, the contribution that BGC members continue to make remains strong, particularly in the regions which have head offices in them but also in less advantaged areas like the north. Equally important is the nature of the jobs on offer across the country. Many are in the high-tech sector, developing and maintaining the growing number of online betting and gaming platforms. They are highly skilled jobs, providing staff with
Assessment of the BGC’s activities mapped against the Levelling Up Goals - Goal 5 Open recruitment
the tech and digital skills required in a green economy. This is key for the betting and gaming industry but also means that employees are developing the transferable expertise that will also be in demand from other employers. BGC members recognise the importance of maintaining these skills and have pledged to spend £20m on training and development for staff across the UK each year.
Goal 8
Good health and wellbeing
Ensuring good mental and physical health to boost overall wellbeing at all ages is crucial in allowing people to fulfil their potential. It lies at the heart of levelling up. Poor health is often a result of, and exacerbated by, poverty, as well as lack of employment, low education take-up, poor housing conditions and social isolation. The pandemic has shone a stark light on the health inequalities that still exist in the UK and the impact they have on an individual’s ability to access opportunity. The BGC and its members recognise the cycle of disadvantage in individuals, families and communities that poor physical and mental health engenders. Their presence in every high street, particularly in the most disadvantaged areas, and their links with a wide range of sports allows them to connect with many more people. As a result, they are able to deliver education, information and support where it is needed most. Much of this help is driven by employees themselves, who understand the challenges of their individual communities. The support also acknowledges the economic and social repercussions of problems associated with gambling and the lack of access to opportunities that result. Assessment of the BGC’s activities mapped against the Levelling Up Goals - Goal 8 Good health and wellbeing
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