Although strong agreements are important in the short term, employers' continued participation depends on the quality of the service they receive. The general capacity of employment service providers to deliver a flow of quality job candidates is central to the success or failure of linkage programs. Traditional employer recruitment and hiring networks can be a major barrier to increasing access for targeted groups. Small employers tend to have more entrenched recruitment networks, making it harder for linkage programs to gain their participation. Staff are more likely to spend more time with small employers, but this extra time may not translate into more placements.
Quality management is essential to the success of the provider collaborative.
As the intermediary, the linkage broker sits at the hub of a number of partners. Poor management and faulty lines of communication can result in a system with disparate parts not functioning smoothly together. Leadership and commitment by local government and program staff are necessary for program continuity and longevity. Fundamentally, public officials must believe in the link between economic development and poverty alleviation that creating jobs helps fight poverty. Community support must be broad and committed enough to enable the program to weather successive municipal administrations and volatile economic conditions.