JANE BARMER

Training & Employment Initiatives Manager

Age Concern England

www.ageconcern.org.uk/

Catalyst : Organisations working with & for older people.

Goal: Voice opinion of older people & defend their interests

Focus: Age Discrimination (AD): Employment, Goods & services

Activity: Lobby EU institutions / Spread information

Monitoring transposition of the Employment Directive

Help AGE membership to use potential of legislation

Awareness raising Evidence base / research on AD in goods & services

Methods: AGE Administrative Council & General Assembly

Expert groups at national level

Intergroup in European Parliament

Website & Publications ( www.age-platform.org )

AGE CONCERN ENGLAND

UK’s largest organisation working for and with older people

Federation – 400+ individual organisations

MissionTo promote the well-being of all older people and to help

make later life a fulfilling and enjoyable experience.

Principles• Ageism is unacceptable

• All people have the right to make decisions about their lives

• People less able to help themselves should be offered support

• Diversity is valued in all that we do

• Demographic Change Ageing UK workforce - 20 years: 2.5 million FEWER ‘under 50s’ : 2.5 million MORE ‘over 50s’

• 50+ Potential Labour Pool under use 50+ employment rate: England = 68% / Scotland = 63% / Wales = 59%

• Age Discrimination in Employment 1:4 People aged 50 – 69 = age discrimination (work/recruitment)

• Age Legislation : 1 October 2006

• Recruitment & Retention Difficulties Skill shortages / Recruitment tactics / Early retirement

• Market Focus & Potential OVER 50s (20million) = 75% nations wealth / UNDER 50s = 90% marketing

• Age Diversity Business Benefits Lower turnover costs / Increased productivity

UK CONTEXT

AGE DIVERSITY: SPECIAL PROJECTS

• On-line Age Audit tool (UK - Reed)

• Business Support Agencies (Wales)

• Ageless At Work – mentoring (EQUAL: UK, France & Finland)

• Skills Analysis – retention (EQUAL: UK & Poland)

• WorkWise – Employment Model (UK)

• National SME Projects (DWP: England, Scotland & Wales)

“only just over 9% of

people work beyond

Statutory Pension Age. If

this does not change by

2031 there will be 3 non-

workers for every 1

worker”

James Reed,

Reed Consulting.

SMEs – STRATEGIC APPROACHES

“Old and young work together to make a better product today. It doesn’t matter if you’re 60 or 20 - everyone has a role to play, - it’s all part of being a team.”

Goodmans Bespoke Furniture, Wales

ACTIVITY• 660 Employers - 3 Nations

• 50 Partners• Identify SME Needs• Explore Engagement Routes • Raise Awareness • Develop Tools

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Link to national /regional media campaigns

• Clear business benefits

• Difficult to attend ‘Events’

• SME support agencies as conduits

• Train up SME Intermediary / Support agencies

• Provide SME / sector specific material

Policies / Diversity Statements / Procedures / Documents / / MarketingAGE AUDIT

AGE PROFILE

Workforce Structures / Recruitment, Selection & Appointment / Exit / Career Progression & Development / Performance / Time Off

Corporate Commitment / Workforce attitudes / Cloning/ Communication Channels / Language & Images

CULTURE REVIEW

Examples

ACTIVITY FOCUS

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Age Shift Prediction / Demography : Customer Base / Market Research – expanding Services & Products

RETENTIONPolicy / Performance Management / Career Development Opportunities /Succession Planning/ Flexible Working / Salaries, Reward & Benefits/ Leaver Exits / Redundancy

EXTENDING WORKING LIFE

Phased retirement / Flexible Work Patterns / Removal of ‘retirement age ‘/ Mentoring/ Role changes

Management Knowledge / Skill / Attitude

Lack of vision / Shifting priorities

Culture : Cloning / Ageism / Reactive

Processes: Policies / Documents

Business Plan / Budget : inadequate resources

Regional or Sector differences

Stakeholder perception / influence

Customer profile

BARRIERS FOR SMEs

SME 8 TOP ACTIONS

(1,377 Actions Identified)

• Policy & Document Age Audits

• Training & Awareness Raising

• Age Profiling / Monitoring Tools

• Exploring Attitudes & Expectations

• Enhancing Holistic Approaches

• Negotiating Terms / Conditions

• Reviewing Pensions / Retirement

• Involvement in consultations

“We want to be involved to:

• Identify

• Influence

• Promote

• Retain

• Skills match”

Rob Young, CE

Helena Housing

“The importance of diversity in the

workforce:

• The value of experience and wisdom

• Flexible working

• Reflection of our customer base”

Alan Eagle, Abbey

Not for moral or legal reasons BUT because it makes

GOOD BUSINESS SENSE

AGE DIVERSITY