UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham calls for face‑to‑face hiring to aid youth

Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged employers across the United Kingdom to abandon video‑call recruitment and reinstate face‑to‑face interviews, arguing that remote formats favour formulaic answers and disadvantage young job‑seekers. He highlighted that nearly one million people are currently NEET (not in education, employment or training) and warned that the post‑pandemic hiring environment is “quite harsh and quite unfair” for 20‑somethings. Burnburn cited research indicating that almost half of UK candidates have already faced AI‑driven interviews and called for more individualized assessment, saying, “Recruitment’s got to be about individuality, people bringing out the kind of unique things that they’ve got to offer.” He also encouraged senior leaders to offer shadow‑ing opportunities to give young people workplace exposure. The remarks came early in his tenure as he outlines plans to curb rising youth unemployment, amid broader debate over recent tax and insurance policies affecting hiring costs.