The rise in the number of NEETs in the UK, people aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training, means employers must revaluate assessment processes sooner rather than later, according to global talent acquisition and management firm, Alexander Mann Solutions.

Responding to the latest data from the ONS, which showed an increase in NEETs from the previous year, the firm has urged businesses to use this knowledge, as they will soon need to re-consider the type of assessment criteria and processes they employ.

According to the ONS November data, around 857,000 young people in the UK are NEET, up 3,000 from the previous year. Alexander Mann Solutions has highlighted that this growth of the NEET means employers will need to consider much more than education, training and experience when recruiting.

“It’s common to see organisations seeking a candidate with a specific education or prior experience, meaning that assessment criteria and subsequent processes are very much tailored to identifying such individuals,” Jeremy Tipper, Director of Consulting & Innovation, at Alexander Mann Solutions, said. “However, with more people now falling under the NEET category, companies will find it much harder to identify these very specific traits. Instead, assessments will need to be much more geared towards identifying the softer attributes of an applicant, such as cultural fit, adaptability, resilience or learning ability.”

“This, however, isn’t a negative shift in behaviour, given that we are operating in such a globalised environment,” Tipper said. “Having a workforce that is built of individuals not only able to work succinctly, but also adapt and thrive during change, will certainly help organisations become increasingly competitive.”