Page 26 - PWM2023_October EBook

BETTER BUSINESS

Aged, but

not out

The UK has managed to avoid recession for the
moment even though it’s suffering an unpleasant
bout of inflation, by Adam Bernstein

ne of the reasons for at Lewis Silkin, sees increased life
this is one of the low- expectancy and declining fertility
est unemployment rates driving the ageing of the
rates in 50 years – world’s population and says that
3.8% – combined with “this demographic challenge looks
Oa large number of peo- set to continue and there are now
ple leaving the workforce for a num- more people aged 65 and older than
ber of reasons, including ill-health.
Indeed, Office for National there are aged under five”.
Statistics (ONS) data published in Employers, globally, are strug-
2022, based on Census 2021, found gling to recruit. And indeed, the
that between June and August 2022, print sector has recognised this and
“around 2.5m people reported long- is looking for solutions.
term sickness as the main reason for Back in February 2023, Printweek
economic inactivity, up from reported that “printers have said
around 2m in 2019.” they are happy to hire older workers
But of course, there is more to the as the government attempts to get
story. A recent post on current over-50s back into work” and that
affairs website The Conversation, “the majority of Printweek readers older workers can bring much to the table.
‘What is driving current labour mar- have said that age is no barrier to A 2017 report from the Centre for Ageing Better, What do older work-
ket shortages and how older work- recruitment in their business and ers value about work and why? reckons that there are clear benefits to
ers could help’, notes that while employers in retaining older workers and keeping them engaged.
some think Covid is the main cause they regularly hire staff over the age It noted that just because a worker has grey hair doesn’t mean that they
of workers departing, the real rea- of 50”. cannot perform well beyond state pension age: “Many older workers may
son is more basic: a general decline The older worker comes with actually be more adept in their role because of the expertise they have
in workers aged 35 years and under gained; they often have highly developed communication skills and can
along with an ageing workforce. benefits
And this isn’t a problem that is Keeping the employment cycle confidently solve problems, handle tricky situations and contribute well
unique to the UK as countries running requires more than a to teams. Older workers often have unique insights and good judgement
around the world are experiencing decent job with appropriate pay and gained from their years of experience.”
demographic change along with conditions; it also requires either From a practical perspective, Delap feels that “older workers have lots
falls in population. As a January the young to feed into the process or of skills and experience to offer, employers can benefit by taking steps to
2023 Euronews story, ‘The coun- the old to stay employed. retain their existing workers as they get older as well as to recruit older
tries where population is declining’, Given that there’s very little that workers into their organisation”.
commented, China’s population fell
for the first time in 60 years and employers can do to influence the Legal background
numbers are falling in Italy, country’s birth rate, that leaves It should be said at this point that age is a protected characteristic
Portugal, Poland, Romania and them with only the ability to influ-
Greece (albeit partly because of ence the departure of their more under the Equality Act 2010 (EqA). In short, this means that employees
migration). And Japan has a serious experienced staff along with must not be treated less favourably due to their age unless this can be
problem resulting from a low fertil- attempts to hire others from the objectively justified.Delap explains that the EqA protects employees of
ity rate and low immigration. same generation. And there is in all ages, so employers “must be careful that any benefits or policies they
Emma Delap, managing associate fact a body of evidence to show that introduce which aim to support older workers do not unjustifiably disad-

24 PrintWeek MENA October 2023 www.printweekmena.com