The insurance company Aviva has published a report 'Working Lives 2023' which finds that, over the past 12 months, one in ten UK employers has increased the support they offer older workers, or introduced support for the first time.
Three-quarters of the 203 employers who responded to the Aviva poll, agreed that it was important to retain employees over 50, with 32% of those rating it as "very important". Meanwhile, out of over 1,000 employees surveyed by Aviva, those aged 55 and over were the most likely to say that they do not work from home (30%) with 28% of these agreeing that working from home makes them feel happier.
The Aviva report refers to a study by the Office for National Statistics which found that flexible working hours, good pay and being able to work from home were the most important factors that 50-65 year olds would consider when looking to return to work.
The Head of Wellbeing at Aviva, Debbie Bullock, points out that employees over 50 can be a valuable asset to employers, bringing a breadth of experiences and skills. She points to apprenticeship programmes offering the opportunity to re-skill, and suggests that it's worth considering options for job-sharing, "part-tirement" and seasonal working to cover peak times. She also stresses that it's time to break down the taboo that career success necessarily means promotion, especially in later working lives, and suggests that employers take a role in encouraging their people to use their skills in less pressurised roles and jobs they enjoy.
This all ties in with the many conversations we have been having about how to recruit and retain older workers and the organisational benefits an age-inclusive environment can bring. To understand the priorities of older workers and how to cater for these here's a link to Emma Burrow's recent article, 'Returning to the workforce'. You can also tune into our recent Trowers Tuesday on 'supporting and empowering older employees'.
