Older workforce to account for half of employment growth

A recent article published on The Guardian reveals that people aged 65 and older will be responsible for over half of all UK employment growth over the next 10 years, based on a 2019 seasonally adjusted labour force survey by the Office for National Statistics. The figures show that people aged 65 and over will account for 282,000 out of 546,000 new UK employees by 2030.

Stuart Lewis, the founder of Restless, a job site for the over 50s, tells The Guardian: “Our population is growing and people are living longer, healthier lives. Today’s over-65s are healthier and more active than previous generations and many who are fit and able to work tell us that they have no intention of fully retiring any time soon.

“People’s reasons for continuing to work post-state pension age vary wildly. From those who are choosing to top up their pension pots while they still can, to those who want to keep working for the love of the job or for the health and wellbeing benefits.”

The article also reveals the number of over 65s who are employed has increased by 188% in the last 20 years. This brings plenty of opportunities for employers to benefit from hiring an older workforce, who come with decades of experience and a perfected work ethic.

Stuart Lewis tells The Guardian that employers need to reshape their views around older workers, he explains “Increasing numbers of over-65s in the workplace unlocks enormous potential for employers to embrace a talented, flexible and highly skilled workforce – but it also requires many employers to change their outdated stereotypes of age in the workplace and reconsider how they engage with and attract talented older employees.

So older people, including those who may rely on stairlifts at home, remain invaluable to companies, despite many employers being reluctant to hire those over 50.

This news article is from Companion Stairlifts. Articles that appear on this website are for information purposes only.