Learning and Development News

Age and diversity

By TJ (28-09-2007)
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Learning and Development News - Age and diversity

It's a year since the legislation on age discrimination was put in place, yet the CIPD warns, employers will miss out on talent if they continue to wait for the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to abolish mandatory retirement age.

Dianah Worman, CIPD Diversity Adviser says: “The Government fought shy of taking the opportunity to abolish default retirement when the age regulations first came into force. But some employers including some Government departments have already rejected it in recognition of the talent older workers can bring to the workforce. Now is the time for other businesses to follow suit.

“Our research finds older workers generally perform better, are more loyal and reliable, and they have lower sickness absence rates than other jobless groups. At a time when organisations continue to face recruitment and retention difficulties older workers are not a group that employers can afford to ignore.”

An online poll of 255 employers carried out by the CIPD has found that the default retirement age has caused employers to miss out on talent. The poll found that the default retirement age has prevented around one in five employers from offering jobs to those aged 65 or older.

Worman adds: “Abolishing mandatory retirement would give older workers more choice and flexibility in deciding how and when they stop working, but would also benefit business and the wider economy by encouraging better management of older workers, and extending access to a wider pool of skilled and experienced labour. “

 

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