Maha Jweied is CEO of the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ).
getty
In today’s labor market, hiring practices aren’t keeping up with current workforce needs. As a result, I see too many job seekers unable to access stable employment or training opportunities that can help them enter rapidly evolving fields—from skilled trades to increasingly AI-driven workplaces.
The stigma of having an old or unrelated criminal record can lead to being screened out of the hiring process entirely. This is true for one in three Americans—a staggering 77 million people in communities across our country. These gaps only exacerbate challenges facing employers across sectors and create missed opportunities to fill open roles, remain competitive and drive sustainable growth.
That’s why more businesses are recognizing the value of second chance hiring. A strong majority of HR professionals now believe that workers with criminal records perform their jobs just as effectively as those without, and research shows that bringing this talent pool back into the workforce can help curb recidivism and boost the economy.
Before The Second Chance
But in emphasizing the importance of second chances, we can’t overlook another uncomfortable truth: Many of those we champion for a second chance were never meaningfully given a first.
More than 4 million young people in the U.S. are neither enrolled in school nor participating in the workforce—a reality that can set them on a path toward lifelong economic instability. These “opportunity youth” make up 12% of the United States’ 16- to 24-year-olds, and a disproportionate number of them are young people of color.
Our country’s opportunity youth are not on the sidelines by choice. In fact, surveys suggest that more than half are actively looking for work. But an array of unique life challenges—which can include circumstances like unstable housing, poor access to transportation, having a juvenile criminal record or having a child of their own—make it harder for these young people to attain the early work experience employers often look for when making hiring decisions.
When young people miss out on these early opportunities, it’s not just detrimental to their career trajectory and future earning potential. Regardless of one’s age, being without employment is a principal risk factor for becoming involved in the criminal justice system. In other words, the “first chances” being denied to young people today are likely contributing to the making of the “second-chance” job seekers of tomorrow.
The Business Case For First Chances
But this trajectory is not inevitable. A good job (a true “first chance”) can interrupt it before it begins. And increasingly, employers are coming to understand the business case for creating these career pathways.
Survey data from the SHRM Foundation shows that companies hiring opportunity youth are less likely to report staffing shortages than those that aren’t. In states and industries battling a persistently tight labor market, that advantage is hard to overstate. The same research suggests there is no trade-off in performance: Three-quarters of surveyed HR professionals report that opportunity youth employees perform as well as or better than their peers.
Of course, extending a job offer to an opportunity youth candidate doesn’t magically erase the challenges they may be facing. The employers that have hired from this talent pool with the greatest success have done so by fostering a workplace culture equipped to support them.
This may take the form of a business rolling out internal programs like apprenticeship and mentorship offerings or partnering with local community-based organizations that specialize in providing wraparound support services—including transportation for commuting, childcare during work hours and a broad spectrum of professional and skills training opportunities. Notably, 96% of employers who partner with community-based organizations report positive outcomes.
The Broader Case For First Chances
Like second chance hiring, the benefits of employing opportunity youth extend well beyond the individual worker or business. Evidence suggests that youth employment programs can significantly decrease violent crime, meaning there is a strong public safety argument for scaling this approach. Similarly, on a macro level, putting opportunity youth to work can be a boon for the economy by increasing local purchasing power and expanding the tax base.
Second-chance opportunities are a win-win for society—but so too, we must remember, are first ones. Employers that invest in both are creating opportunities long overdue for millions of Americans, all while giving their organizations a competitive edge.
Thus, the business community should not only reflect on its role in advancing second chances but also on how its hiring practices might help render them unnecessary and obsolete. This, ultimately, should be our goal.
Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
