Workers over the age of 50 are getting a rough deal when it comes to employment and recruitment, according to a new report from the government’s Women and Equalities Committee (WEC).
Despite laws against age discrimination, the report found that biased recruitment processes are a widespread problem. Retaining older workers is also a cause for concern.
The WEC has called for more action to tackle discrimination in recruitment, with an emphasis on business sectors that have the worst record for employing older workers. It also wants more robust legal support for age discrimination complaints. The report says that recruitment agencies must take more responsibility for collecting data on whether older workers are being excluded and develop an action plan to reduce discrimination.
What does it mean for business ?
Gender pay gap reporting, the introduction of shared parental leave and the right for everyone to request flexible working all show that employment models are changing fast. And an increase in older workers in employment is yet more evidence of that change. There are now over 1.2 million over-65s in the workplace according to the Office for National Statistics, and that number is rising.
Retaining older workers means holding onto skills and experience that can really benefit a business – but it might also mean changing working patterns and practices to accommodate older workers, and offering different types of employee benefit. To find out how you can tailor your reward package to fit flexible working patterns or better meet the needs of older workers, please talk to your Brunsdon Financial Adviser.
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