Why age bias could be preventing you from hiring a skilled and valuable workforce?

What is age bias?

Age bias stems from misconceptions that older workers are less adaptable or tech-savvy. However, older employees frequently possess invaluable experience, strong work ethics, and a high level of dedication. Their depth of knowledge and reliability can greatly benefit businesses.

Maximising this talent pool

To fully leverage this talent pool, businesses must challenge stereotypes, offer training opportunities, and create an inclusive environment that values the contributions of workers of all ages. Embracing age diversity can foster a more dynamic and effective workforce, driving better performance and innovation.

The UK workforce is an aging workforce

Over one-third of the UK’s workforce is over 50, and projections show that in 20 years, one in four people will be over 65. Employers cannot afford to overlook this talent pool, yet many are. Our research shows that over half (55%) of UK businesses have not taken steps to improve age diversity, representing a missed opportunity. Unfortunately, more than a quarter of those over 50 feel discouraged from applying for jobs because they believe they are “too old.”

Businesses are missing out on the benefits of a diverse workforce

Or, to put it another way, what can businesses gain from engaging and recruiting an age diverse team? Employers believe older workers bring stability and valuable experience, resulting in greater retention and improved productivity – critical benefits in a sector known for high turnover. Additionally, there are reductions in recruitment costs, HR resources, and onboarding time. Many over 50s have hospitality experience and a strong work ethic, a definite plus for any team. Not only businesses but also customers appreciate age diversity. Our research shows that most customers prefer a mix of ages on the hospitality floor.

Recruiting older workers means thinking differently

Recruiting older workers requires a different approach. A significant hurdle for some over 50s is job advertisements targeting specific age groups, discouraging them from applying. However, jobs in the hospitality sector are one area where over 50s feel less concerned about being “too old” and are more likely to apply. Many will remove age-related information from their CVs to avoid being stereotyped or seen as overqualified.

Interviewing without unconscious bias

Older workers often face subtle or explicit age bias during interviews, with some recruiters admitting to judging candidates based on age. Assumptions about tech savviness and health can drive this bias. However, questions about health and fitness during interviews can be inappropriate and discriminatory. 36% of interviewees stated that they had been asked about this at an interview – would employers ask younger workers about their health and fitness? Potential older workers might be put off by workplace cultures perceived to favour younger employees. Training and education for hiring managers and recruiters is crucial to ensure fair treatment and a focus on abilities, not assumptions.

What are older workers looking for in a job?

The top five ‘needs’ for older workers in our Caterer.com research are:

• A job that offers meaningful and interesting work. Older workers want to use their skills and experience in roles that allow them to make an impact and feel that they are doing something with purpose
• Flexible working – a must for older workers who want time to have a life outside of work
• Job security – older workers are far less likely to change jobs, job stability is important and leads to loyalty and greater retention
• Being part of the team – a company’s culture matters to older workers. They’ve seen it all before and want to work somewhere whose culture resonates and where they feel they belong
• Keep on learning – it might sound odd but the majority of over 50s want access to training and learning opportunities and will seek out roles that provide access to these.

What should employers be doing to attract older workers?

We’ve already looked at age bias in job adverts, the first place a potential recruit looks, so step one would have to be rethinking recruitment practices and rewriting job adverts to remove age bias.

To attract an older, experienced, workforce focus on skills and competencies and provide a detailed job description. Clearly lay out what you want from older workers so that they know what’s expected of them, and more importantly, how they fit into your existing workforce.

Think about using tech, for example, the gender bias decoder, to remove any unconscious bias from your ads. Embrace technology to help you craft ads that appeal to your target talent pool.

Show that you are serious about recruiting older workers. Champion age diversity in your business. Older candidates believe that a company that promotes the benefits of an age diverse team is appealing and less biased towards older workers.

Flexibility is key – older workers have busy lives and any employer who can create a flexible rota, and phased retirement options, is more likely to successful recruit older workers.

Age bias train your hiring managers because a large majority of older candidates believe that training your recruitment team on the dangers of bias can promote fairer recruitment practices and reduce age discrimination.

Our aging population means that an age-diverse workforce is becoming essential for meeting recruitment needs. Older, stable, experienced, and skilled workers represent a vast untapped talent pool. By eliminating age bias and educating hiring managers on the benefits of an age-diverse workforce, employers can harness the wealth of talent that older workers bring to any business.

To find out more, read the full guide