Some firms are welcoming the move to encourage retirees back to work. Emma Harvey, a human resources executive from the insurance company, Axa UK, said bringing more over-50s back into work would help provide the “talent and the skills” that Axa needed, as well as ensuring the firm’s workforce properly reflected its customer base.
Source link In a landmark study made public on 4th October, the Resolution Foundation think tank reported that the over 50’s age group in the UK no longer feel the same value in their professional activities.
With an ever-greying population in the UK and people living longer, the Resolution Foundation wanted to put a focus on these important members of the workforce and examine their feelings on the job market.
The research team surveyed 3,300 over-50s from across the UK. It found that a majority in the age group felt that their ‘usefulness’ had passed and that younger workers were favoured when it came to job opportunities. Several in the studied group also felt that their age was seen as a major obstacle when it came to the job market.
In some cases, older workers reported a feeling of being treated differently and unfairly due to their age. The inclination towards ageism, unfortunately, is a problem that still affects many older workers in the UK.
Older workers are invaluable to organisations as they often bring with them unique perspectives and skills that only experience can offer. Unfortunately, growing pressures in recruitment processes and workplace culture can inadvertently cause older workers to feel alienated in the workplace.
The arrival of Covid-19 has only compounded these tensions as economic concerns mount and redundancies increase.
The Resolution Foundation’s final assessment echoes this negative sentiment with their report highlighting how difficult it can be to secure places in the job market.
The report suggests that there must be a shift in attitudes and a broadening of perspectives as organisations actively work to make all members of their teams feel valued, regardless of age.
We should champion the importance of experience and the value a wider age range can bring to teams and organisational operations. In this way, older workers can be sure of their role in helping to shape the future.
