According to a survey, two out of five companies would fire a worker who had been made homeless

According to research, two-fifths of companies stated they would try to fire a worker if they were left homeless.

According to a survey of 250 employers done by the charity Crisis, 42% said they would try to terminate an employee’s contract if they were homeless.

Moreover, over three-quarters of respondents (58%) believe homelessness will have a negative influence on a potential employee’s application, while a similar percentage (56%) believe it will have a negative impact on a current employee’s work.

However, the survey stated that even among employers, it was unclear why they expected such unfavorable consequences for homeless workers.

When asked if they would help someone, 84% said they would connect them to an employee assistance program, 90% said they would give them time off, and 79% said they would give them an emergency loan.

According to anecdotal evidence, there was a lot of misunderstanding among employers regarding their responsibilities toward employees who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, according to the research.

“We’d help them as much as possible,” one employer said in response to the survey, “but ultimately home difficulties are not the business’s responsibility.” “They would probably be removed or turned away based on what they have to give to the organization,” another employer stated, stressing that it would depend on the employee’s performance.

“If they offer something that is valuable to us like skills and such and high-level grades, we will be more than happy to hire them and give them any support they need,” they said.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said that “for too long now, insecure poorly paid jobs combined with spiralling housing costs have been putting untold pressure on people up and down this country”.

“​​It is crucial that everyone plays their part in tackling homelessness, and this includes businesses and employers providing the right support to staff when they fall on hard times,” he said, adding that firms need to provide a reliable route out of poverty, otherwise this will continue to be an inhuman and devastating reality for many.

Nicola Inge, employment and skills director at Business in the Community, agreed that employers need to “step up to the plate” and play their role in identifying and supporting employees experiencing homelessness.

“The solution comes from being empathetic and understanding, offering flexibility for employees who may need time off to resolve their situation and being open to exploring other ways you can support an employee going through these challenges,” she explained.

According to the survey, 44% of businesses stated they don’t have any policies in place to help employees who are homeless, and almost half (47%) said it’s likely that their company wouldn’t know what to do if an employee or prospective employee was homeless.

Overall, the majority of businesses (99%) said they’d welcome additional information on how to help their employees who are homeless or at danger of becoming homeless.

“The key thing employees have to learn is empathy,” said Greg Mangham, founder and CEO of Only A Pavement Away. This can be as basic as ensuring a person knows how to go to work, what travel they must take, and that they are confident in their ability to perform the task, he explained.

“Stability comes through employment,” Mangham told People Management, citing how some employers he works with have gone as far as making donations to help with rent or support someone moving into independent living.