Supporting the changing health and wellbeing needs of older workers will go a long way towards helping to ensure their retention.
This section includes key points to consider, actions to take forward and links to useful information and resources.
Key points
- The age profile of entrants to NHS employment is rising. For example, the average age of a student nurse is now 28. Therefore it is not always possible to assume that younger workers will fill the gaps left by older workers as they retire.
- A positive, proactive and supportive approach to management of workers as they age will encourage greater retention, reducing recruitment costs and retaining organisational knowledge and intellectual history of the service, cited by the Francis report as important.
- Flexible working arrangements and good job design can also ensure that workers are able to remain in employment as they age, allowing them to retain a good work/life balance e.g. as their caring responsibilities may increase.
Key actions
- Take positive steps to demonstrate how highly you value older workers. Being seen to be supportive of requests for flexible working or training, for example, will go a long way to encouraging other staff to raise their own needs with you.
- Recognise the importance of retaining the skills and expertise of older staff. Staff wishing to reduce their hours or who feel unable to continue in a physically and/or mentally demanding job can have a lot to offer more junior and less experienced staff in different ways.
- Make sure that you maintain regular dialogue with older workers so that they know you are open to discussions about how to accommodate their changing needs and any requests will be met positively.
- Challenge your unconscious bias and think about the language used in job adverts and person specs for example. Avoid use of words such as young, lively, or energetic.
- Include organisational values where relevant and make it clear that you welcome applications from a range of people including older workers.
Useful information and resources
- NHS Scotland Partnership Information Network (PIN) Policies (www.staffgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/partnership/partnership-information-network/pin-policies/)
- Public Health England Briefing – Increasing Employment Opportunities and Retention for Older People
- (www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/355783/Briefing5d_Employment_of_older_people_health_inequalities.pdf)