KFC has introduced a series of initiatives and commitments to make the workforce more accessible for young people.
This includes launching the KFC Youth Advisory Board, created with Youth Beyond Borders, which aims to ensure the voices and views of young people are built into business initiatives, decision-making and hiring practices.
The Youth Advisory Board will form part of KFC’s commitment to reviewing its hiring practices across the business. This will include a thorough analysis of language used in job applications, qualification requirements expected of young people, and the interview process itself, and will aim to create more openness and opportunity for young people.
Alongside this, KFC will also be launching a CV and career mentoring pilot in KFC restaurants.
Underpinning these commitments, KFC is backing the Youth Guarantee, a government initiative to find work for all young people aged 18- 21 years old, preventing the exclusion of young people from the world of work.
Lamin Tarawally, Youth Beyond Borders Youth Lead & Chair of KFC Youth Advisory Board, said: “Young people today bring immense potential and fresh perspectives, yet age discrimination remains a significant barrier to employment. The Youth Advisory Board isn’t just about giving young people a seat at the table; it’s about valuing their unique insights and experiences to drive impactful change within KFC. Through this initiative, we aim to foster a workplace culture that not only welcomes young voices but actively seeks to learn from them. This is a powerful opportunity to reframe how businesses engage with the next generation, setting a precedent for authentic inclusion”.
These new initiatives come as new research from UK Youth and KFC UK&I finds that harmful stereotypes and negative treatment of young people in the workforce are fuelling young people to fall out of work.
The study, which sought the views of over 9,000 young people and 2,000 employers over a 3-year period, found that more than 9 in 10 (93%) young people have experienced negative treatment in the workplace because of their age, rising from 88% three years ago.
Top issues faced by young people in the workforce include being undervalued (81%) and patronised (78%), while 69% of young people said they have lost out on a promotion and three quarters (75%) have been outright rejected from a job, on the basis of their age.
The research overwhelmingly found that more needs to be done to help young people into work and make the workplace more inclusive for young people, with three in five (60%) young people saying that the current job market is inaccessible to them. A sentiment also echoed by employers, many of which believe young people face challenges in workplace.
Positively, 85% of employers recognise they have a responsibility to help young people into the workforce and there is appetite to do more.
Meghan Farren, UK general manager at KFC, said: “As one of the largest youth employers in the country, with 65% of our workforce under the age of 25, I see the positive impact that young people make to my business every day. It’s why we launched Hatch, and it’s why KFC is committed to making the workforce more accessible for young people, starting with the launch of our KFC Youth Advisory Board and reviewing how we hire.
“Our research shows that young people are being undervalued and overlooked, with unfair stereotypes putting them at a disadvantage in the workplace. And with so many young people facing greater challenges than ever before, it’s turning more away from the workforce for good.
“If the Government and businesses are serious about unlocking growth for the economy, then recognising young people’s potential and helping them get into and stay in work will be critical.”
This study follows the roll out of the Hatch programme, UK Youth and KFC’s youth employability programme, launched in Manchester in 2022, which aims to help young people to build their work skills, confidence and land their first job. Since its inception Hatch has helped over 700 young people. Last year, 68% of the young people who took part in Hatch were in some form of employment, education or training three months after.
