Valor Hospitality joined a government pilot programme to support more older people to flourish in the workplace. Resourcing and talent director Ben Gabbitas shares what the company has learned about championing an older workforce. Â
Workers over the age of 50 currently make up 33% of the UK’s workforce, but according to the latest Office for National Statistics labour market report, people between the ages of 50 and 64 have been the most economically inactive following the pandemic.
There are several reasons why an older person may be out of work, such as illness, early retirement or looking after family.
But there are also barriers that stop those over the age of 50 applying to jobs in today’s market, stemming from digital inequality and a lack of accessible language in job adverts.
Older workforce
Overtly ageist employers pay the price for such blinkered thinkingÂ
There’s a stigma from employers too. The CMI surveyed more than 1,000 managers working in UK businesses and public services and found that just four out of 10 (42%) were open “to a large extent” to hiring people aged between 50 and 64.
But there are real benefits to employing older workers – from building a more diverse team to fostering a culture of belonging. There’s also an advantage from a recruitment perspective, offering an alternative source of talent.
Ultimately, the world has changed. People are now living longer, healthier lives, the state pension age is rising and forced retirement has come to an end.
This means people can think about work in a different way as they get older. It’s time to support older people to stay in control of how they work to best suit their wellbeing and future finances.
Taking action
At Valor Hospitality, we’ve been working with the Department for Work and Pensions on a brand-new pilot programme, to bring more older people who are looking for employment into the workplace.
The first phase of the programme ran across 34 of our UK hotels, inviting jobseekers aged 50+ in to meet their prospective employers, shadow fellow older team members and attend CV reviews and mock interviews, to help break down barriers and help prepare them for returning to work.
Following the sessions, the jobseekers were invited to apply for any open roles at the hotels, such as chef positions, front-of-house roles and conference assistants.
We saw great success from the programme, resulting in us recruiting 40 people aged 50+, and we’re running it again soon.
Life experience
We’ve seen first-hand the benefits of having a diverse workforce that includes a broad range of ages within the team. People over the age of 50 naturally have more life experience and transferable skills that are a real asset to hospitality roles, in particular.
They’ve built interpersonal skills over their time in work, honing their communication and utilising it to converse with customers. They can often provide a unique perspective, derived from ideas that they’ve seen success with.
Older people also help cultivate a sense of belonging within a team, creating a safer, supportive environment for younger workers, who feel able to approach them with concerns.
However, much like the CMI survey shows, there are barriers that prevent this talent from coming back to the workplace. For example, many job interviews are now conducted online over platforms such as Zoom or Teams.
Furthermore, many job adverts use language that can be alienating to an older person, such as ‘fast-paced environment’ – this could be attractive for some, but off-putting for many.
In hospitality in particular, peak periods vary greatly throughout the week, meaning that there is something for everyone, no matter what type of environment suits them best.
Hospitality offers great flexibility too. This is perfect for workers who may need to work around family commitments or health issues.
How you can do it
- Analyse your own recruitment practices: what is the current age range of your team? How many people do you interview over the age of 50 normally?
- Use diverse platforms: don’t just post about your open roles online. This will help widen your talent pool.
- Appoint an internal advocate: Someone that interviews can also shadow people through the recruitment process.
- Avoid using inaccessible language on your adverts: words like fast-paced, energetic or vibrant can imply you’re only looking for younger workers.
- Link up with your local Job Centre: ask around and see if there are incentives to get involved with.
The hard work doesn’t stop once you’ve finished the recruitment process. Ultimately, workers over the age of 50 are often going through big life changes such as menopause, changing family priorities, caring responsibilities, and need support.
Supporting and engaging an older workforce requires flexibility, allowing people to create a work schedule that suits their needs – whether that’s compressed hours or part-time.
Employers could also consider offering a ‘mid-life MOT’. Developed by the Centre for Ageing Better, this helps older workers holistically optimise their work, finances and lifestyle.
Lifelong learning
With an ageing population, people are working longer, and that doesn’t mean they have to stop learning. Apprenticeships, job shadowing, or offering courses are a great way to foster a meaningful career and support professional development.
At the same time, employers may need to help older workers manage chronic conditions or other health issues by creating avenues to support them; be it through regular one-to-ones or initiatives like menopause leave.
The hard work doesn’t stop once you’ve finished the recruitment process. Workers over the age of 50 are often going through big life changes.”
They could also consider signing up to the Centre for Ageing Better’s age-friendly employer pledge, which shows an organisation recognises the value of older workers and supports them to flourish.
We have found that engaging with older workers has so many benefits for your workplace – from creating a diverse team that lifts each other up, to providing better service because of developed life skills.
It’s easy for an older jobseeker to slip through the cracks from an early stage, so it’s about ensuring accessibility at all stages of the recruitment process and offering support once they’re in the workplace.
People living longer is something to be celebrated, but it’s vital that society invests in ways to help us age well – and offering a secure, flexible and fulfilling career path is one way to do that.
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