Employing & Supporting Older Workers

As the workforce continues to age, employers are facing new challenges in retaining and employing older workers. There are many reasons why employers may want to retain or hire older workers, including their experience, loyalty, and work ethic. However, there are also unique considerations that come with managing an aging workforce.

Benefits of Employing Older Workers

Experience: one of the most obvious benefits of employing older workers is their experience. They have likely been in the workforce for decades and have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and skills that can be invaluable to your organisation. 

Strong Work Ethic: older workers are more likely to have developed a strong work ethic over the years - understanding the importance of showing up on time, meeting deadlines, and taking pride in their work. They may be more reliable than younger workers and require less supervision and training.

Loyally to the Business: older workers are often more loyal to their employers than younger workers. They are therefore less likely to leave for another job and more willing to stay with the organisation for the long term. 

Challenges of Employing Older Workers

Health Issues: it stands to reason that older workers are likely to have more health issues.  Employers will need to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate workers with disabilities, whether physical or mental. This includes improving access to facilities and supporting employees with mental health conditions.  Actively promoting employee wellbeing and encouraging healthier lifestyles will help to reduce absenteeism.

Using the latest technology: another challenge that employers may experience with some of their older workers, is an inability or reluctance to readily embrace the latest technology. As technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, some older workers may not have the enthusiasm to keep up with the latest developments that their younger colleagues have.

Prejudice: older workers may face bias from younger managers or colleagues who assume that they are not as productive or innovative as younger workers. 

By creating a culture of inclusivity and respect for all employees, regardless of their age, employers can better avoid any potential age discrimination.

Employment Rights of Older Workers

In the UK, older workers are protected by a range of employment rights that are designed to prevent age discrimination and ensure that they are treated fairly in the workplace. Below are some of the key employment rights that apply to older workers in the UK.

Age discrimination: it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee or job applicant because of their age. This means that older workers should not be treated less favourably than younger workers when it comes to recruitment, training, promotion, or any other aspect of employment.

Retirement age: in the UK, there is no longer a default retirement age. This means that employers cannot force their employees to retire at a certain age unless there is a legitimate reason for doing so.

Redundancy: if an employer needs to make redundancies, they must ensure that the selection process is fair and does not discriminate against older workers. Employees who have been with the company for a long time and are older should not be targeted for redundancy simply because of their age.

Flexible working: older workers may have caring responsibilities or health issues that make it difficult for them to work full-time. Employers have a duty to consider requests for flexible working arrangements, such as part-time work, job sharing, or working from home, from all employees including older workers.

Pension rights: older workers are entitled to the same pension rights as younger workers. Employers must provide access to a workplace pension scheme, and cannot discriminate against older workers when it comes to pension contributions or benefits.

Health and safety: employers have a duty to ensure the health and safety of all their employees, including older workers. They should carry out risk assessments and make any necessary adjustments to the workplace to ensure that it is safe and suitable for all employees, regardless of age.

Strategies for Employing and Retaining Older Workers

One of the best ways to retain older workers is to offer flexible work arrangements. This could include part-time work, job sharing, or hybrid working. 

As with any workers, another way to help older workers stay positively engaged and productive is to provide training and development opportunities. This can help them keep up-to-date with new technologies and develop new skills, enabling them to contribute more effectively to the organisation.

Retraining existing staff can be a cost-effective way to develop your talent pool and access new skills. Investing in their training before retirement can therefore actually bring very positive benefits to your business.

Recruiting Older Workers

It's essential to avoid age discrimination when recruiting new staff. To ensure fairness, job adverts should use age-neutral language. During recruitment, candidates should be evaluated based on their values, behaviours, competencies, and their ability to perform the job. The selection process should be fair and objective.

Conclusion

Employing older workers in the UK can bring many benefits to employers and the wider economy. Older workers have valuable skills and experience that can be passed on to younger colleagues, and can provide a stable and reliable workforce.