Research reports
May 2022
Retaining young people facing disadvantage
An rapid evidence assessment of findings about the impact of practices that employers use to retain young people from marginalised backgrounds.
Summary
This report presents an overview of findings from a rapid evidence review of the scientific research literature on the impact of practices that employers use to retain and include young people from marginalised backgrounds.
Insights from scientific publications and policy papers published between 1980-2021, with a focus on 2000-2022, are included.
Findings respond to the following research questions:
- What is meant by a marginalised background?
- What is known about the antecedents of turnover of young people from marginalised backgrounds?
- What is known about the effectiveness of practices to retain young people from marginalised backgrounds?
- What is known about the antecedents of an inclusive organisational climate?
- What is known about the effectiveness of practises to include young people from marginalised backgrounds?
It builds on the previous report that explored existing literature on recruitment practices.
Key findings
Retention
Read more about RetentionEvidence suggests young people or employees from marginalised backgrounds:
- have similar likelihood of quitting as majority group workers
- may leave the organisation for reasons that differ from non-minority employees.
- past decades several antecedents of voluntary turnover are identified that provide a good starting point for evidence-based HR interventions to increase the retention of disadvantaged young people.
Inclusion
Read more about InclusionDiversity management practices aimed at the inclusion, recognition, and retention of employees different from the majority of an organisation’s workforce are likely to have a positive impact on the inclusion and retention of disadvantaged young people.
Study limitations
Read more about Study limitations- Some relevant studies may have been missed due to ‘rapid’ nature of this review and exclusion criteria (see report for full details).
- Critical appraisal of the studies included did not incorporate a comprehensive review of the psychometric properties of tests, scales and questionnaires.
- While there is a broad evidence base for general population, there is a lack of studies focused specifically on disadvantaged young people.
Findings should therefore be presented as indicative and not be taken as conclusive.
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