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WHAT MAKES AN AGE FRIENDLY EMPLOYER?
Given the increase in older workers in the future it’s important that all employers become more age friendly. With more over 50s likely to be in work than those under 30 in the next decade, employers need to act now to attract talented, experienced older workers to their organisations or they are likely to miss out.
But it’s not just as simple as having an age friendly policy sitting in the HR policies sectiongathering dust, and not having any impact on what the organisation does by way of age.There must be a commitment to make this work.
We now have many more employers becoming age friendly and there is support for those wanting to take this journey. The Centre for Ageing Better is one of a number of organisations which provides sound advice and support, and other organisations can provide case studies and help – see below.
So, what are the commonly accepted hallmarks of Age Friendly Employers in terms of the accepted good practice.
1. Hire with age positive outcomes in mind
Older workers can bring a great deal to the workplace – their commitment, knowledge and experienceis invaluable. Yet only 14% of employers surveyed say they plan to recruit or re-train older workers to deal with skill shortages. Employers need to ensure their recruitment campaigns are age positive to attract older workers. But in particular ensuring that recruitment does not have an age bias consciously or unconsciously for example what’s displayed in adverts . Many older workers are facing discrimination when applying for roles and are affected by assumptions made about whether they are capable, their health, their innovativeness, whether they are in wind down mode for retirement and whether they will be difficult to manage as they are “experienced” and may not respect a younger manager.
2. Create an age-positive culture
Key to being an Age Friendly Employer is forging a culture which is age positive – for all ages. This is about embedding being age friendly right across the organisation. Key is monitoring data about employment by age and sharing this. Many organisations simply don’t report age employment in their annual reports so they can be compared. Line managers need to have the right knowledge and skills to understand age friendly employment practices and the management implications. Training is required Equip line managers with the knowledge and skills to manage age-friendly practices. All staff need to benefit from equality and diversity training, but which age-positive practice is very much a core part. Age positive is also ensuring there is the right interaction and networking amongst staff at all ages and listening to different age viewpoints.
3. Provide flexible employment and working
All organisations need to think flexible and agile employment particularly post covid as the 9-5 routine coming each day in the office has changed. This involves hiring flexibly and ensuring there are a range of flexible working options available and publicised . But for older workers there may be additional demands such as caring responsibilities which require flexible patterns. Studies show that 1 in 6 older workers want to work fewer hours and in some cases part time. Employees need to know what’s available and also managers need training and support in managing a flexible workforce.
4. Encourage effective career development at all ages
Employers need to ensure they have the right development, training, and organisational progression available to all ages – making lifelong learning a reality. For older workers this should also ensure they do receive adequate training. Studies reveal the challenges faced by older workers. For over-55s, almost two-thirds (64 percent) were not getting leadership training, and a third had lost interest in their job due to lack of development opportunities. Just under a half 47% of over 55s were most likely to say they have not received any training over the past five years . Almost two-thirds (61%) of workers were not confident that they had the skills they needed to succeed in the workplace in the next five years.
Age Friendly Employers seek to find out what older workers want in terms of support and development. Some may want specific career guidance at mid-life and beyond, including retirement plans and financial planning advice. Also, older workers themselves can help contribute to other employees’ development with mentoring or feedback sessions.
5. Ensure everyone has the health and wellbeing support they need
Age Friendly organisations have an open and supportive culture around how health and health issues are anticipated and managed at work. This needs to include physical health, mental health, financial health, social responsibility, and people being connected. This requires devising well being programmes which take on people’s views about issues they face. The resulting healthy working environment leads to people feeling healthy, valued, included, and motivated.
This mix of age friendly attributes are all required for an Age Friendly employer and it’s ensuring they all work in practice and are not high hopes or platitudes.
Age Friendly Employers seek to find out what older workers want in terms of support and development. Some may want specific career guidance at mid-life and beyond, including retirement plans and financial planning advice. Also, older workers themselves can help contribute to other employees’ development with mentoring or feedback sessions.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE
Here is a sample of the advice available to help you develop plans to become an Age Friendly Employer – they contain the key principles as well as practical tools and support to help make this happen.
Centre for Ageing Better
https://www.ageing-better.org.uk/publications/becoming-age-friendly-employer
Business in the Community
https://www.bitc.org.uk/age-and-multigeneration-teams/
https://www.renegadegeneration.com/agefriendly-employers/
https://restless.co.uk/jobs/age-diverse-employers/
Chartered Institute for People and Development
Developing an ‘age-friendly’ culture | People Skills Blog (cipd.co.uk)
How to support your older workers – Research – CIPD Blogs – CIPD Community
managing-an-age-diverse-workforce_2015-what-employers-need-to-know_tcm18-10832.pdf (cipd.co.uk)
megatrends-ageing-gracefully-the-opportunities-of-an-older-workforce-1_tcm18-64897.pdf (cipd.co.uk)
Timewise
Key advice of flexible employment
https://timewise.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Timewise-Employee-Toolkit-2020-pdf
Government advice
Useful guide to some of the advice available
DWP Fuller Working Lives: What, How, Why? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgTq5NTKlHU&t=135s
The Department for Work and Pensions win the Business in the Community Age Friendly Team Award 2019 for piloting mid- life MOT conversations, actively promoting Age Champions and creating age-friendly teams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfqXv1LkodQ&t=32s
Age Friendly Employment | GM Good Employment Charterhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4nb5hoSfTM
Invest Northern Ireland An ‘age friendly’ People Strategy – discussion of how to frame a people strategy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmhwdmZJJww
Overseas experience
Age Friendly Institute
What Makes an Employer Age-Friendly? – Age-Friendly Institute (agefriendly.org)