Social Mobility – a lifetime of challenges, and the life stages businesses can support

So, we all know a bit about what social mobility is – mainly, it’s considered as the link between a person’s occupation or income, and that of their parents before them. 

Much discussion focuses on social mobility at the youngest ages, but it is a weight that can hang around a person’s neck throughout their life. Businesses can make a huge difference for themselves, for communities and individuals with a better understanding of this, and a strong approach to tackling it.

Actively encouraging equality of opportunity is not just the right thing to do, it makes business sense too. The benefits of increasing gender and ethnic diversity in the workforce are well recognised – but the benefits of increasing socio-economic diversity are no different.  Data shows that employees from lower socio-economic backgrounds perform at least as well as their more advantaged peers. Mixed teams are more creative and resourceful than narrow teams. Greater socio-economic diversity offers competitive advantage.

Yet, arguably in the UK, there has been less success, less momentum to date, in breaking down social mobility barriers, than in tackling ethnic and gender unfairness. Upward mobility has stagnated and the level playing field is left wanting. For those who do manage to progress on the ‘upward mobility journey’ – it is not an easy journey and it’s a journey for life - you can slip back down, and you know it.  

There’s no vocal working-class lobbying group – it's often harder to see who this affects – it’s not a visible barrier and nobody wants to say ‘I’m poor’.

There are many, many barriers which are interlinked and overlap. To highlight just five of them:

• Socio-economic status. The combined measure of a person's economic and social status (social class, education, parents’ jobs and income) has a lasting effect throughout a person's life. Even when people from working-class backgrounds enter elite occupations, they earn an average of 16% less per year than those from privileged backgrounds.
• Education. A good education is a key factor in the trajectory of a young person's life. The better the qualifications they achieve, the more likely they are to land a higher status occupation. In 2019, only 41% of students receiving free school meals obtained good results in English and Maths GCSE, compared to 69% of other children.

• Health (physical & mental). Poor physical and mental health is linked to poverty in childhood, causing direct negative impact on a person’s education and earning ability throughout their life. Children living in poverty are 4 times more likely to develop a mental health problem before the age of 11.
• Housing. The high cost of housing means many low-income families are priced out of renting and buying schemes, increasing poverty levels and further limiting options for education and employment. Recent figures show that the number of children living in poverty is set to reach 5 million in 2023. 
• Social & cultural capital (including accent). The social assets of a person include intellect, mannerisms and dress, but more predominantly race, accent, gender and social class. 30% of university students say they have been mocked or criticised due to their accent.

These barriers – to different degrees for each person - are a constant throughout the lifetime of someone from the lowest income backgrounds – when one is overcome another pops up.

And these factors can raise their heads again and again at different stages in life. You could think about 4 different stages in a person’s early life journey – each a chance to make a positive impact.

1. Early in life – where you may have unequal access to culture; disparities in education; lack of relevant role models; health challenges that hold you back
2.  Post-16 education – unequal access to higher education; systemic failure to equip learners with confidence & soft skills; absence of networking
3.  Entering work – lacking industry connections; access to gaining experience; being different to others; challenges securing career opportunities; low starting pay excluding those without family backing
4.  In work – background & accent marking interviewees as ‘different/not polished’; lack of connections crucial to ‘fast-track’ career path success; lack of mentors who’ve faced similar challenges

So, for businesses considering this topic and its associated challenges, as well as thinking about the youngest ages and how you can support them, cast an eye inward at the career starters in your ranks.

With thanks to support from my colleagues, Jo Harding , Faye Pooley and Claire Smith . Get in touch if you want to discuss tackling social mobility with young people or career starters.