The fun has just begun

This week has already seen two very major announcements relating to the older end of the age spectrum and it’s only Wednesday. Firstly, there has been the news that the government is bringing forward its review of the national default retirement age, currently 65, which heralds either its demise or a significant shift upwards. Secondly, there has been the publication of a Green Paper on the subject of care costs which is likely to impact on the whole population and probably require significant financial input from us all.

We are now, quite definitely, going to see a significant shift in the need for everyone – employers, employees and society at large – to think through the implications of these issues and to plan individually and collectively for all of our futures. We will now, each of us, have to make decisions about our attitude to retirement versus continued employment which will include our finances, our motivation and commitment, and our physical and mental ability to continue on.

These announcements come at a time when two new surveys suggest all is not as it should be and certainly there is a glaring inconsistency and incompatibility which will have to be addressed. A survey for insurer LV= suggests that the over 50s are struggling to save and that nearly 7 out of 10 are worried about their retirement prospects. In reinforcing this Scottish Widows also tell us that, from their survey, the average age that people wish to retire is 61 and that, on average, they would actually be angry if they had to work past 66. Something does not stack up here – even without thinking about the social benefits of continuing to be part of the employment mainstream.

Employer body reaction to the proposed review of the default retirement age is predictably one of hostility (feigned or real) but the reality of the situation will not change. What is required, sooner rather than later, is the need for all sides to start seriously to manage the implications which, when all is said and done, will be immensely positive for all concerned.

Even King Canute could not stop this one.

Age Diversity in the Downturn

Last Friday (20^th March) TAEN (the Age and Employment Network) and EHRC (the Equality and Human Rights Commission) held a conference on Age Diversity in the Downturn – the business benefits of creative approaches to age management. The conference was held to launch the publication of a new booklet by EFA (the Employers Forum on Age) and TAEN, called “Age matters in a downturn”.

Acronyms aside it was an excellent and inspiring conference with numerous interesting and practical presentations from academics, policy makers and HR practitioners from around the world. Although age in the workplace, particularly in a downturn, is a hugely complex issue, a few simple messages continue to hold sway:

1   The demographic issues and their implications are here to stay and will only get worse regardless of the economic situation.

2.  Age management is a strategic management problem, not just a tactical HR issue. As such, it needs to form part of ongoing management training.

3.  Age equality is a deep seated issue that must be embedded at the level of company values. Ultimately it’s all about human dignity, freedom of choice, and treating people decently.

4.  Age management requires an investment of money, time and effort. But that investment, if businesses get it right, can be repaid many, many times over – in hard financial figures as well as by increased worker commitment, engagement, satisfaction etc.

5.  Organizations should look more closely at what their customers want in terms of age matching. It’s an area which can generate considerable competitive advantage.

The bad news of course is that in the recession age-related initiatives are generally likely to take a back seat to more pressing matters. However those who are clear-sighted and brave enough to continue to devote effort to recruiting, retaining and developing their older talent are likely to emerge as winners in the coming decades.

Flexible futures for the over 50s

On 1 April 2009, the government is intending to extend the right to request flexible working hours for parents with children up to the age of 16. According to a report on the HR Zone website this extension of working parents’ rights could result in a quarter of a million employees changing their working hours.

Furthermore “the proposed amendments to current legislation are likely to cause all employers genuine concern and could result in the incorporation of innovative new work patterns in the workplace to manage such requests”.

Academic research has established beyond all doubt that one thing that the majority of older workers are interested in is flexible working. So in the light of the current economic difficulties being faced by all businesses why doesn’t the government take an instant decision to move things along and extend the right to request flexible working to everyone?

Yes increased flexible working will cause initial disruption and teething problems for employers but it can be made workable. Research has also shown older workers to be the most trustworthy, reliable and committed age group of workers. Throwing them into the flexible working system would add to the gains to be made from a system which employers are going to have to implement whether they want to or not.

Good practice in managing age diversity

Attended an interesting and informative conference yesterday on Developing Good Practice in Managing Age Diversity in the HE Sector organized (very capably) by The Centre for Diversity Policy Research and Practice at Oxford Brookes University.  (See more at    http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/hr/cdprp/age/index.html )

As was expected the delegates largely comprised HR professionals from other universities keen to learn from the research findings being presented and to benefit from the opportunity to share ideas. As the day progressed it became evident from the content and level of discussion that in many ways higher education institutions lag behind the private sector in their approach to managing age diversity. Although the general climate was redolent with good intentions, much remains to be done.

On many occasions and in many environments in the past I have been struck by how organizations fail to capitalize on their own talents, thereby missing out on the opportunity to lead the field and make a mark. In this instance it led me to wonder why, when most Universities have management schools, their support structure makes so little use of them.

The majority aren’t undertaking specific research into age diversity but on a wider platform effective management is their business. So why aren’t academics more closely involved in theory application? Why don’t practitioners involve them? Why aren’t they themselves generally more interested in ensuring that their own organization represents management excellence? Why aren’t HE institutions leading the field in managing age diversity?

Cobbler’s shoes, I guess.

Though would you trust a hairdresser with a really bad haircut?