The global COVID-19 pandemic is shining a spotlight on one of the most fundamental questions facing any business leader today: Amidst an increasingly complex and rapidly-changing social, economic, and public health landscape, how can employers position their employees to thrive at work?
This is especially pertinent for young workers from underrepresented communities who, despite their immense talent, resilience, and promise, often face barriers that make it difficult to find—and stay in—stable jobs that offer economic mobility. There are currently more than 9 million 16-to-24-year-olds across the country who are not actively enrolled in education and are unable to secure or maintain steady employment. Sometimes called “opportunity youth,” this burgeoning group includes millions of individuals who have made it into the workforce only to find themselves stuck in entry-level jobs with no security and no clear path forward.
Today, community-based organizations, employers, and apprenticeship providers who recognize the potential these young people possess have been ramping up efforts to connect them to careers. This work is especially important now, because the COVID-19 pandemic has left many young workers unemployed or underemployed, with individuals from underrepresented communities hit especially hard.
At JFF, with generous support from the Prudential Foundation, we had the opportunity to take a deep dive into what we believe could be one of the most powerful ways employers can use employee experience tools for social impact: empowering and retaining young workers from low-income communities. This market scan examines the employee experience technology market to identify solutions especially well suited to young people who have faced barriers to success and the companies that employ them, spotlighting trends, emerging innovators, and new opportunities along the way.