Recorded on 28 June 2023
As policymakers take a carrot-and-stick approach to increasing employment for the over-50s, what should businesses be doing to attract and retain older talent?
Official statistics suggest that around 27% of people aged 50-64 are currently economically inactive. That is more than 3.5 million people, and nearly a million of these have left work since the pandemic.
Older workers webinar
Changing demographics mean that almost a third of the UK workforce is now over 50. And 73% of the UK’s employment growth over the last 30 years has come from workers aged 50-plus.
The government has made changes to pensions allowances and is introducing “returnerships” to upskill and retrain people and coax them back to work. But with job vacancies at record levels, what should talent acquisition and HR professionals be doing to entice older workers back and make the most of this valuable talent pool?
This Personnel Today webinar, in association with PeopleScout, examines the needs of older workers, how to attract and recruit them and how to best utilise their skills and experience.
Employers will learn how to create an inclusive workplace and will gain insight into how to best engage and attract this audience, as well as the benefits of having an age-diverse workforce.
Rob Moss, editor of Personnel Today, is joined by an expert panel of HR and talent acquisition professionals who have been targeting older workers to fill key roles, sharing some of the challenges and lessons they have learnt along the way.
Panellists include Stuart Lewis, co-founder and CEO of Rest Less, a digital community for people in their 50s, 60s and beyond, Sarah Dickinson, recruitment manager for pub and hotel operator Fuller’s, Bourne Leisure’s talent director Anne Blyth, and Robert Peasnell, head of growth at PeopleScout UK.
Also joining the panel is Rachel Bushby, group talent and capability director at Tesco, who will bring expert insight on how large organisations can attract and retain older talent, establishing a workforce which is multi-generational.
Watch now to find out:
- what is keeping so many over-50s economically inactive
- how to create hiring strategies to attract and retain older workers
- the importance of providing flexible work schedules and compensation structures
- how recruiting for capability rather than direct experience can broaden talent pools.
This 60-minute panel discussion includes a Q&A session for the audience to pose questions to our experts.
About our panellists
Rachel Bushby is group talent and capability director at Tesco. With over 12 years’ experience, she leads the organisation’s capability strategy, creating lasting change for one of the world’s largest retailers of consumer goods – from food to fashion. Rachel truly understands business needs and will bring expert insight on how large organisations can attract and retain older talent, establishing a workforce which is multi-generational.
Sarah Dickinson is recruitment manager for pub and hotel operator Fuller’s. She looks after all things recruitment across more than 200 of Fuller’s managed pubs and hotels across London and the South, and in Pier House, its support office. Owning Fuller’s recruitment strategy and influencing change for the better, Sarah ensures a positive and memorable recruitment experience for people at all levels.
Stuart Lewis is co-founder and CEO at Rest Less. He is an experienced general manager with an extensive track record in the financial services sector. Along with his co-founder Sara, he founded Rest Less with the goal of creating a digital community and platform that helps support people through the wide range of life transitions people face in midlife. Since launch, Rest Less has grown to over 1.1 million members across the UK and is a leading voice on topics affecting an older workforce.
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Anne Blyth is talent director at Bourne Leisure. An HR professional and business expert with over 20 years of HR, L&D and Business Development know-how, across a variety of sectors, private, public and voluntary, she helps companies get in the best shape, with the right team and skills to reach their goals and exceed potential, all with sound and practical expert advice delivered with personality and a personal approach. Anne joined Bourne Leisure in 2016 as group head of learning, development and talent and became talent director in 2020.
Robert Peasnell is head of growth at PeopleScout. He heads up business development across the EMEA region. Leading its Sales and Bid Pursuit groups, he works closely with marketing teams across the region to ensure that PeopleScout is top of mind and visible to the employers that we hope to work with. Robert helps shape leading-edge solutions for prospective clients, leveraging his depth of experience across both RPO and Talent Advisory. Robert joined PeopleScout 14 years ago through the acquisition of TMP and his areas of expertise include: researching candidate motivations, developing employer brands, creating impactful attrition strategies, leveraging social media and designing effective assessment processes.
