Hear more from Anne Brewster, the 50 Plus Champion at Jobcentre Plus, about the support available and some of the barriers faced by older workers.
20 Nov 2023
National Older Workers Week is a celebration of the value older people bring to the workplace and the benefits of an age-diverse workforce and how employers can attract more older workers to their business.
Multigenerational teams are good for business; they bring a wealth of different viewpoints and insights. Over 50s are a valuable part of this multi-generational workforce and contribute a wealth of experience. With an ageing workforce and labour shortages, this demographic will become increasingly dominant and important (by 2025 one in three workers will be 50 or over).
People aged over 50 have many key skills that employers value. Being able to retain the skills of the people you employ is a great place to start. I often hear of people who have left work due to caring responsibilities or health problems without first having a conversation with their employer.
Menopause
Women make up nearly half of the UK working population, there are few workplaces where menopause is not being experienced by staff and yet thousands of women leave work every year due to the menopause. Having more open conversations can help to support them to stay in work. You can find out more and show that you are a supportive employer by signing the Menopause Pledge.
Health
Age related health conditions can often be supported by simple reasonable adjustments. Access to Work can help people with a physical or mental health condition or disability to get or to stay in work. Becoming a Disability Confident employer can support you to make the most of the talents disabled people bring to your workplace.
Jobcentre Plus customers who are aged over 50 highlights sometimes lack confidence when applying for jobs. Someone who has worked in the same industry for many years and finds themselves out of work may not have had an interview for a long time and worry that their skills may seem outdated. This Good Recruitment Older Workers Toolkit helps to minimise age bias in the recruitment process. You can also sign the Age Friendly Employer Pledge which shows your commitment to older workers.
Jobcentre Plus has employer advisors across Hull and East Yorkshire who can support you with your recruitment needs. We offer the opportunity for a named advisor and possibility of direct recruitment with people looking for work who match your needs.
Find out more about how Jobcentre Plus can help employers here.
