Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

HR practice

Business minister Pat McFadden urges employers to recognise skills and experience of older staff

by Louisa Peacock 4 Feb 2010
by Louisa Peacock 4 Feb 2010

Business minister Pat McFadden has urged employers to recognise the skills and experience older people can bring to the workplace.

Speaking at a business seminar hosted by the Department for Business yesterday, McFadden warned that by 2050 more than one-third of Europe’s population is expected to be over 60 years old, resulting in a population with different needs and skills.

He said: “Older people are increasingly the backbone of our economy. We should be recognising this and looking for ways to meet their needs, and to make the most of what older workers can offer.

“As we continue to invest in growth, we need to make the most of all our talent: and that means harnessing the skills of the older generation as well as the young. This will put us in the strongest possible position going forward.”

Employers at the event agreed workplaces needed to revolutionise ideas about how to engage the older workforce.

George Magnus, senior economic adviser at parcel delivery firm UBS, said: “No-one is suggesting people should be compelled to work in their 70s, but many do want to do just that and this could have many advantages – not least in their own financial and psychological wellbeing.”

A survey by the Age and Employment Network out last year warned older workers were one of the worst hit groups by the recession, with 47% of respondents being made redundant during the downturn.

By anticipating demand, businesses will be preparing themselves for the future and adapting to a changing population as the UK moves out of recession and continues to grow, McFadden added.

Avatar
Louisa Peacock

previous post
Occupational health research and legal news round-up
next post
Female sailor wins sex discrimination case against Royal Navy

You may also like

Lack of flexibility pushes half of women to...

16 May 2022

Queen’s Speech: Exclusivity contracts for low-paid workers to...

9 May 2022

Are we happy now? New research Sugar-coats working...

6 May 2022

Alan Sugar calls PwC Friday afternoons off a...

6 May 2022

Bank holidays: six things employers need to know

20 Apr 2022

HR in the 21st century: Tracie Sponenberg talks...

1 Apr 2022

Work in the metaverse: what should HR prepare...

1 Apr 2022

How hybrid working boosts recruitment but not retention

18 Mar 2022

How should HR approach sabbatical requests?

21 Feb 2022

Storm Eunice forces millions to work from home

18 Feb 2022
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more
  • Why now is the time to plug the unhealthy gap PROMOTED | We’ve all heard the term ‘health is wealth’...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+