“Age to me means nothing. I can't get old; I'm working. I was old when I was twenty-one and out of work. As long as you're working you stay young. Retirement at sixty-five is ridiculous. When I was sixty-five I still had pimples.” – George Burns, actor & comedian
For George Burns, staying in the workforce well into his ninth decade likely did not present the same challenges it does and will for the rest of us. But with increasing skills shortage worldwide and a more active senior population, the tide is turning. Many organisations are retaining older employees and increasing their use of older workers.
A report issued by Vedior this month detailing the skills shortages situation in the UK* revealed that 26% of organisations surveyed would focus on more use of older workers (>50) to alleviate current and future skills shortages.
With rising awareness surrounding the use of older workers to solve skills shortages, the benefits of doing so are becoming increasingly apparent. This group of workers often brings experience and a honed skillset to the working environment, necessitating less on-the-job training (although development and training incentives can be a key factor in attracting these employees), and is often available for flexible, temporary and project-based assignments.
Jim Murphy, Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform in the UK, spoke last week at Vedior’s seminar at the Cass Business School in London and addressed the importance of the older workers in the labour market. The UK government lent more than taciturn support to this practice last year when it passed an anti age-discrimination law, perhaps catalysed by our increased life expectancy.
Jim Murphy MP, UK Minister of State for Employment & Welfare Reform
But are we really getting that much older that much quicker? To illustrate the demographic change, Mr Murphy noted that the Monarchy sends out birthday cards to those UK citizens who reach 100 years of age and that when Queen Elizabeth II became Head of State in 1953, she sent out a mere 200 cards. This year, it is estimated that she will send out upwards of 4600 birthday greetings.
It’s no wonder that specialised recruitment services for mature workers are taking off. To find out if your organisation is “older worker friendly” and to review strategies on attracting and retaining the older worker, check out the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s older workers resource page.
*Click here for the report: ‘Is the UK up to the job? A review of the UK’s skills shortages problem.’