JULY: AGE INCLUSIVE MONTH

It’s Age Inclusivity Month! We’ll be using the time to think about the barriers and great ideas behind successfully bringing people of mixed ages together in the workplace.

There’s serious reasoning behind it. The population is ageing and half of all adults in the UK will be over 50 years old by 2030. This will impact on how we work, how we search for work, and the types of job we do. It’s already happening. Companies are enjoying a more age-diverse workforce than ever before, with great-grandfathers to new graduates working side by side. Search here for jobs that reflect the future.

 

Age-inclusive workplaces

We understand:

• Around one in three UK workers are currently over 50, and that figure is increasing. This impacts on things like staff benefits, access to training and occupational health. Expect all of these to become more pressing issues for employers to address, and to offer.
• Around 20% of employers are planning how to meet the challenges this creates. This could be a time of unprecedented development and opportunity for employees and jobseekers of all ages.
• One in four companies say they need to do more to prepare for these changes. Professionals in a variety of industries will be needed to organize and manage how businesses evolve.

There will be a predicted skills gap of around 7.5 million persons in the UK economy in the near future, say researchers. That means employers will be working even harder to keep their older and existing employees. Making the effort to support staff, old and new, has a number of benefits for business managers. These include higher employee loyalty and improved productivity.

Other workplace advantages to this change (when thinking in an age-inclusive way) benefit younger and early career professionals. They can enjoy the training and development that comes from working alongside seasoned professionals, benefitting their own careers. Fresh faces and new blood coming in will also support a company in adapting to emerging problems. And diversify their potential recruitment and client base. All of these are great for jobs and industry growth.

 

Tips for finding an age-inclusive company

If you want to find a supportive age-inclusive employer:

• There are thousands of vacancies on the VERCIDA job search. These listings come from top-class employers across the country and are regularly updated. Every firm listed has pledged their commitment to diversity and inclusion at all levels. Try today!
• Look at the advertising and workforce connected to the companies and firms around you. Are there any which seem to have a wide range of ages, skills and opportunities? The right job might be right underneath your nose.

 

Age discrimination legislation

A combination of legislation changes and shifts in working practices has changed recruitment for companies in the UK. Once upon a time workers moved their way rigidly up the career ladder as their experience (and so their age) grew. On retirement, the next person on the career ladder replaced them.

Today, things have changed. Blind recruitment practices, and changing attitudes, mean some firms have embraced age-inclusivity. If you’re interested in looking past the same old job search to find your next great employer, search with us. Thousands of professional  jobs are currently available in our job search database.

 

Tips for age-inclusive workplace policies

This unavoidable population change can be well-managed by sensitive and thoughtful employers. Well-designed policies and initiatives can:

• Strengthen creativity and innovation.
• Improve sharing and learning.
• Meet employer’s mandatory obligations for diversity.
• Offer insight into changing attitudes among clients.
• Build brand reputation.

 

Advice on age-inclusivity policies

Policies that deliver on this could offer:

• Flexibility: Facilities such as caring leave or remote working support workers to juggle multiple responsibilities. Whether a young father or a person looking after elderly parents – flexibility will always be welcome.
• Processes to reduce bias: Anonymous screening of job applications can help remove age as an issue when recruiting staff. This could also be applied to promotion and training decisions.
• Workplace adjustments: Accessible workplaces and responsive occupational health services will help businesses meet the physical and mental challenges of tomorrow’s workforce.
• Fair access to training: This is raised as an issue for people on both ends of the age spectrum. Older persons want to develop their skills right up to retirement. Younger persons want to widen the range of work they can do. A good training regime is a great draw to work with a company. Search here for jobs with responsive employers.

 

Want to be seen as an employer that considers more than just productivity? Find out more about how the diversity and inclusion experts at VERCIDA can help.