When I was 13 years old, my mum needed to go back to work. It was the mid-1980s and she had not worked since my brother was born 19 years earlier. I still clearly remember her coming home after a handful of interviews feeling entirely depleted, worried that her skills were out of date and that no one would want to employ her.
Eventually, she got a job as a medical secretary at a local hospital. Her new manager had looked past her 19-year career gap and seen her potential. They negotiated a small amount of flexibility to make the hours work and offered her courses to update her skills. The transformation in her was incredible. She gained confidence, financial independence and a renewed sense of self-esteem. She stayed at that hospital for 27 years, eventually retiring, aged 69, as a department head.
My mum’s story taught me a defining lesson: sometimes, people just need someone to support them, to lift them up, see their potential and give them a foot in the door.
The labour market has changed dramatically since then, but the barriers to entry haven’t. Today, I see that same need across the country, but on a much larger scale. It’s incredibly concerning that around 1.78 million people are currently out of work, and unless more businesses are willing to take a chance, this number will only increase.
That is why, at Lidl GB, we’re ringfencing 10% of our new store interviews – alongside hundreds of roles at our regional distribution centres – for people who are long-term unemployed. The changes will help the potential of these individuals to shine through, by adapting the recruitment process to give them the best chance and remove the need for CVs.
To make sure these opportunities reach the people who need them most, we are working closely with the nine prime partners of the Restart programme, as well as the Department for Work & Pensions. These partners help those who have been unemployed for at least six months to upskill and prepare for interviews so that potential candidates have the best chance of securing that job.
Just as my mum found a support network and regained her self-esteem through her colleagues, a role in retail offers a genuine community. By looking past the gaps on a CV and focusing on a person’s potential, we can give people the confidence and purpose they need to move forward. Moreover, as a fast-paced industry offering competitive income and robust opportunities to upskill and develop, retail doesn’t just offer a job – it unlocks endless career trajectories.
At Lidl GB, we have the ambition to grow, but we want to ensure our communities grow alongside us. Bridging the unemployment gap is not a challenge that one business or initiative can solve alone. As an industry we must therefore work together to bridge the gap and ensure that everyone, regardless of their background or circumstance, is given the opportunity to thrive.
Stephanie Rogers is chief people officer at Lidl
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