Employers, employees, and consumers on the hiring of formerly-incarcerated individuals

A PSA 2021 survey shows that unemployment rate among formerly-incarcerated individuals (FICs) is twice as high as the national average. This reflects the difficulties encountered by FICs in finding gainful employment after doing time, as well as the reluctance of businesses to hire them. The study involved a total of 325 respondents consisting of consumers, business owners/managers, employees, and suppliers. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential (comparative and correlational) statistics. Findings show that while the respondents generally agree to the concept of providing employment opportunities for FICs, they in general are not open to having them in the workplace. The study also offers detailed insights on the perceptions of stakeholders according to their demographics. From a marketing perspective, plunging headlong into the hiring of FICs on the principle of inclusivity is ill-advised. It is recommendable to first invest in the education/orientation of stakeholders regarding the hiring of FICs, before deciding to actually hire them, lest they risk backlash from employees, business partners, and the consumers themselves.