As the workforce ages, organisations will need good age management practices to meet the needs of all staff.
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Services (ACAS) defines good age management as being ’those measures that combat age barriers and promote age diversity’. This includes being aware of rights and responsibilities; awareness of team composition and existing issues; the provision of flexible working; good recruitment and retention practices; supporting health, safety and wellbeing; and encouraging informed retirement planning.
This section includes key issues to consider, actions to take forward and links to useful information and resources.
Key issues
- Proactive age management is required to ensure older workers can continue to work to the best of their ability in fulfilling and productive ways as they age.
- Managing a multigenerational team will require a more flexible approach to work organisation, task management and rota/shift planning.
- Although not all workers will experience health issues, the Work Foundation has forecast that one in three workers will be experiencing chronic ill health by 2020.
- It has been proven that the most effective actions to allow staff to continue working are early intervention, discussion and planning the support they will need.
- Flexible working, including different work patterns, will support older workers to work to a higher pension age.
- Helping staff to make plans for their future career and retirement at an early stage, including consideration of flexible retirement options, is essential so they can make informed decisions.
- Organisations should aim to work with staff to facilitate their further development or working in a different capacity later in their working life. This may include consideration of and collaboration with the wider healthcare economy.
- Recruitment and retention of older staff is essential as the inflow of younger workers decreases and the age of the NHS workforce increases.
- Research has shown that older workers report feeling undervalued and not respected by managers and their co-workers in the workplace. Many feel they are discriminated against because of their age.
- Age is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.
- NHS staff reflect society and as age-related health issues emerge in later life your staff may experience the same challenges. Staff in this situation may satisfy the legal definition of disability, also a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.
- The stereotype of an older worker is usually untrue and insulting to older staff.
- Older workers are entitled to have equal access to flexible working and training opportunities These are key retention tools.
Key actions
- It is useful to monitor all decision making by age. For example, the allocation of flexible working, or training and development opportunities.
- Consider age awareness training for you and/or your staff.
- Ensure you are familiar with your organisation’s flexible working and disability policies.
Useful information and resources
- NHS Scotland Partnership Information Network (PIN) Policies (www.staffgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/partnership/partnership-information-network/pin-policies/)
- ACAS Guidance – Managing Older Workers (www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/f/i/Managing-older-workers-a-report-for-acas.pdf)
- ACAS guidance – Older Workers: Rights at Work (www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5075)
- Age UK Guidance – Your Rights at Work (www.ageuk.org.uk/work-and-learning/discrimination-and-rights/your-rights-at-work/overview/)
- HM Government Guidance – Employing Older Workers(www.gov.uk/government/publications/employing-older-workers-an-employer-s-guide-to-today-s-multi-generational-workforce)
- Age Scotland (www.agescotland.org.uk)