NOWW report launched

workingwise.co.uk has published a report on the outcomes of its second National Older Workers Week, which highlights best practice for older workers and includes its Top Employer Charter, where employers can commit to taking specific actions for this group.

The NOWW 22 report comes amid greater focus on what employers can do to attract and retain older workers, given concerns about high rates of older people leaving the workforce during the pandemic. The Government is said to be looking at several ways to attract older workers back and boost retention. Last year it announced action on midlife MOTs at Jobcentres and a trial with private sector employers in three areas [https://www.workingwise.co.uk/midlife-mot-trial-launched/] as well as a digital review tool. It is also reported to be considering everything from tax breaks to benefits changes.

Labour has said it will modernise job centres, reform employment support services to ensure support is tailored to older workers and change the social security system to help people overcome barriers to work. It may also embed career advisers in health services, including addiction clinics, rehab centres and primary care.

National Older Workers Week, sponsored by Phoenix Group and held in November, featured four events, three for employers and one for candidates. The NOWW report focuses on the employer events.

They include Older Workers: Challenges & Insights, a dissection of the latest findings from workingwise.co.uk’s survey by a panel of experts. The survey, sponsored by Santander Consumer Finance, covered everything from older workers’ experience of the recruitment process, any perceived ageism in the process and in promotional opportunities and access to training, attitudes to flexible working, retirement plans, attitudes and experience of changing jobs, whether what older workers are looking for in a job has changed over the years, caring responsibilities and health issues, particularly as a result of Covid.

Another event was Creating an age inclusive workplace and featured expert advice on best practice when it comes to everything from midlife MOTs and the menopause to age diverse recruitment and retention.

And the final event was Older Workers: The Action Plan which focused on key learnings from National Older Workers Week, how employers can commit to taking action on age diversity and specific actions employers can take from recruitment to developing an age-inclusive culture, backed by the launch of the Action Plan Toolkit.

All the events were accompanied by a social media and editorial campaign, featuring a range of employer case studies and profiles of older workers talking about their careers as part of our Working Lives series. The series aims to change the narrative about older workers and show the richness of their experience and ability to adapt to the constant change we have seen in the workplace in the last decades. This year’s National Older Workers Week will take place from 20th-24th November.

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