ISS Joins Age-Friendly Employer Pledge

• Content
• People
• ISS Joins Age-Friendly Employer Pledge

19 January 2023

ISS has signed up to the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge, as part of a commitment to maintaining age-positive recruitment, flexible working solutions and a workforce that embraces diversity.

The pledge, introduced by the Centre for Ageing Better, helps employers recognises the skills and experience of older workers – many of whom are overlooked even as the UK endures a skilled labour shortage. There are over 11 million people aged 65 and in ten years time, this will have increased to 13 million people, 22 per cent of the population. A third of the workforce in England are aged 50 or over, nearly 9 million workers.

The Centre for Ageing Better has found that not all employers are offering what’s needed to retain older workers, or recognising the importance of recruiting them. In their “The State of Ageing 2022” report, it was found that older workers were more likely to be made redundant during the pandemic and – once redundant – less likely to be re-employed than younger workers.

The Age-Friendly Employer Pledge helps member organisations to create the right conditions for more people over 50 to be in fulfilling work. The Centre for Ageing Better is calling for consistent and robust messaging that workers aged over 50 are as entitled to support as younger workers from the government, job centres and employers.

What Needs to Be Done To Improve the Workplace Experience for Older Workers?

• Legislating without delay for enhanced flexible working rights, carers leave and a single enforcement body. Government should also promote the mid-life MOT model, which gives people a focused opportunity to plan and prepare for their futures.
• Extending automatic pension enrolment so that it can be triggered by achieving the earnings threshold though multiple part-time jobs and not just a single job; this will benefit anyone working part-time and will be particularly beneficial to older women.
• Employer action to become ‘age-friendly’; ending bias against older workers when recruiting; supporting staff with health conditions; creating a culture where people of all ages work well together; introducing more flexible working; and encouraging career development at all ages.

Ryan Redman, Workplace Deployment Manager at ISS, said: “ISS is on a crucial journey in the UK&I to be the company of belonging, and we want our clients, employees, and communities to see us as a leading light in diversity and inclusion.  We are proud to make the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge and excited to recognised in this regard.

“A multigenerational workforce helps businesses stay innovative with the insight and experience that only long-serving workers can provide. With this pledge, ISS continues its dedication to an inclusive workforce where people can pursue the career they desire.”

Picture: a photograph of two people in a warehouse talking to each other. One is holding a clipboard and the other a handheld scanning device. Image Credit: The Centre for Ageing Better

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 19 January 2023

Share

Related Articles