Dan Jones, Director of Innovation & Change at the Centre for Ageing Better, presents on what kind of implications a growing older workforce can have on business.

1. Dan Jones, Director of Innovation & Change
Business Healthy Conference on An Ageing Workforce, September 2017
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges & Opportunities
for Business
@Ageing_Better

2. 2
Introducing the older workforce
The UK has ~ 10 million workers over 50
From a total workforce of ~ 36 million
2 in 7 workers are over 50
There are ~ 1.2 million workers over 65
1 in 30 workers are over 65
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business

3. 3
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
2014 2024 New SPA
20-34 35-49 50-64
The older workforce is growing
The number of people over 50 is growing, and as a proportion of the total
workforce it is growing fast
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business
Population,000s
ONS Population Projections, 2015
%ofpopulationaged
50–StatePensionAge
Population by Age Group, 2014-2024

4. 4
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
Employment Rate by Age
The age and employment gap
Annual Population Survey, 2016
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business
Most people are out of work before they reach State Pension age

5. Why is there a gap?
5
Reasons for not working, age 50 to State Pension Age
Annual Population Survey, 2016
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
Ill health or
disability
Unemployed Caring Retired Other
Ill health is the biggest driver of the age and employment gap
Caring, redundancy and involuntary retirement also matter

6. 6
17% of employers
most vulnerable
5,500,000
vacancies
What does the gap mean for business?
If workers aged 55 and over continue to leave
the workforce at the current rate, this will
create a projected 12.5 million vacancies in
the next decade. There will be only 7 million
school leavers to fill them.
Nearly one in five businesses have more
workers aged over 50 than under 50 – and
this number is growing fast.
70% drop-off in
key sectors
The biggest age and employment gaps in the
private sector are found in financial services
(72%) and ICT (68%).
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business

7. 7
Older workers and the skills gap
Evidence suggests that older workers:
Perform as well as younger workers
Welcome the opportunity to learn new skills
Are often better at negotiation and resolving inter-personal
problems
Report higher engagement and loyalty to their employer
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business
Fulfilling Work – What do older workers value about work and why?
Centre for Ageing Better and Institute for Employment Studies, 2017

8. We already know how to tackle health and employment gaps
9
Disabled people under 50 are more likely to be in work than not
Disabled people over 50 are more likely not to be in work
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
16-17 18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 49 50 to 64
‘000s
In work
Out of work
Disabled people in UK by age and employment status
Annual Population Survey, April 2015 – March 2016
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business

9. 10
What do older workers need?
The same as everybody else!
Meaning, autonomy and control, recognition
Social contact with customers and colleagues
Equal opportunities for progression and development
Flexibility in where and how as well as when they work
Support to manage their health at work
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business

10. 11
Ageing and equal opportunities
Explicitly treat age and ageism as diversity issue
Non-discrimination in recruitment
e.g. age-friendly advertising, age-blind processes, mixed-age panels,
no age limits on roles
Ensure equal access to promotion opportunities for all ages
Understand and monitor age diversity of workforce
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business

11. 12
Managing an ageing workforce
Regular, forward-looking line management conversations
Including structured opportunities such as mid-life reviews
Equal investment in learning and development at all ages
Champion an inclusive, non-discriminatory culture
Value the contribution of older workers
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business

12. 13
Ageing and flexibility
Positive, universal offer
Guarantee of equity and fair treatment
Where and how, not just when
Job redesign to enable greater flexibility
Including mid-tier roles
New roles
e.g. mentoring
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business

13. 14
Ageing and flexibility
“Flexible flexibility”
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
16-34 35-49 50-64
Informal Caring Responsibilities by Age
All Women
Family Resources Survey, 2015
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business

14. Ageing and health at work
15
Main long-term health conditions by age group
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
18%
Musculoskeletal Chest or breathing Heart, blood
pressure, circulation
Stomach, liver,
kidney, digestive
Diabetes Mental health
18-24
25-49
50-64
65+
Annual Population Survey, April 2015 – March 2016
The Ageing Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Business
Active, positive offer of adjustments and adaptations
Prevention in the workplace

15. Centre for Ageing Better
Angel Building, Level 3
407 St John Street, London, EC1V 4AD
020 3829 0113
www.ageing-better.org.uk
Registered Company Number: 8838490 & Charity Registration Number: 1160741
Dan Jones
Dan.Jones@ageing-better.org.uk
@Ageing_Better