The mission.
To pilot the introduction of the Employer Standards in a specific area and understand what might influence employer behaviour with regards to engaging with and adopting them in future.
The research.
Providing behavioural science expertise to design the pilot
After an inspiring meeting between Social Change and CEC, a behavioural workshop and review of the existing Employer Standards, we designed a six-week pilot to test different messaging to encourage engagement with the Standards. The test variable was the messaging used in communications to encourage employers to complete the self-assessment and adhere to the Employer Standards. These messages focused upon different reasons for employers to engage in these behaviours to explore what is most likely to incentivise and motivate them to do so. Specifically, we wanted to test whether employers would be more motivated by what the Employer Standards can do for them, what they can do for others, or a mixture of these two outcomes.
What we did.
Delivering the pilot
In our pilot phase, participants were divided into four distinctive groups.: Group A received 'control' messaging (no incentivising language), Group B 'for you' messaging (focusing on benefits to them as Employers), Group C 'for others' messaging (focusing on benefits to young people) and Group D a mixture of 'for them' and 'for others'. Each groups messages varied, however all groups shared uniform communication methods—5 newsletters and 2 webinars. This strategic approach allowed us to understand what truly resonates, paving the way for impactful, tailored campaigns in the future.
The impact.
During the pilot, participants initially showed significant interest in early communications. However, engagement dwindled as the pilot progressed. Overall, the 'for others' group, centred around altruism, remained the most engaged across content types. This suggests that employers might be more receptive to messages emphasizing how Employer Standards can positively impact young people's futures, indicating this altruistic approach could be a potent motivator, surpassing even personal and business benefits.