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Employers approval of older workers growing

By Debbie Carter (21-07-2006)
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Learning and Development News - Employers approval of older workers growing

UK employers’ attitudes towards employing older workers is becoming more favourable, according to the latest research.


A study, conducted by recruitment consultancy Office Angels, found that employers are increasingly turning to older workers, as previously held prejudices against older employees are being broken down.


Office Angels quizzed around 1,600 employers on their attitudes to age in the workplace, in the light of suggestions that the retirement age could rise in the near future. It found that 38 per cent of employers questioned believed British attitudes to older workers were ‘slowly changing’, with employers more likely to perceive experience as valuable than they had done in the past.


Indeed, 66 per cent of those polled said that relevant skills and a positive attitude were more important factors to them than age when hiring a candidate for a role. According to the findings, just under a fifth of businesses now offer ‘age incentives’, such as flexible and part-time working and job-sharing, to encourage staff to stay on longer with their companies.


‘Homogeneity doesn’t equal harmony at work,’ said Paul Jacobs, managing director of Office Angels. ‘The most successful business managers recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce – where a variety of skills, personalities and perspectives, regardless of age, combine to create a productive and happy working environment.The key for anyone employing new staff is to look at the skills needed for a role and to hire the best person to fill that gap, regardless of age,’ he added.

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