Time for workplaces to become age friendly say Age NI

More support required to enable older workers to return to or remain in work.

With latest figures from NISRA revealing that by 2027, there is projected to be more people over the age of 65 than under the age of 15 in Northern Ireland, Age NI says that many businesses are not prepared to make the most of these social demographic changes in the workplace and need to become more age friendly. While the proportion of workers 50+ is increasing, employment rates suggest that more support is required to enable older workers to return to or remain in work.

Age NI Chief Executive Linda Robinson comments:

“Over 63% of people aged 50-64 in NI are in employment today, a 5% increase from the last decade and this is expected to rise. Despite this, the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) reported that only 4 in 10 employers are open to hiring people in this age bracket. This highlights a significant gap in employer attitudes towards older workers, which is consistent across both large and smaller employers. 

Age friendly workplaces exist to help organisations support their older workers to adapt and thrive. Age NI work with organisations to identify age friendly barriers in the workplace and ways to make intergenerational workplaces that work.

Many employers are struggling to adapt to the changing demographics of our workforce. Only 1 in 10 have discussed retirement plans with workers who plan to retire in the next five years. This lack of planning puts them at risk of losing not just employees, but also valuable skills and knowledge. Ageism remains a significant issue and is the most widespread discrimination in the UK.”

Age NI offer an extensive programme of Age Friendly Training Workshops, having trained over 3,105 older workers. These workshops support older workers to seek or stay in employment, helping them to earn sufficient income, stay connected and have a fuller working life. The training includes financial wellbeing, health and wellbeing, career support and age awareness.

Businesses are encouraged to support their older workers in overcoming challenges to remain in employment.

Martina Donaghy, Strategic HR Lead Consultant at Allstate continues:

“Since 2022, Allstate has proudly partnered with Age NI who have delivered Age Friendly Training to our employees, with a total of 148 successfully completing a range of training.  The training has provided employees with valuable insights for planning for their future, not just financially, but also in terms of overall wellbeing and career fulfilment.

After completing the training, many employees have reassessed their retirement plans and have been inspired to reflect on their roles within the company, fostering greater openness to lateral career moves and retraining opportunities.  Age NI’s Age Friendly training has led to better outcomes for our employees, especially those over 50, and we are committed to retaining their expertise within our organisation.

We believe that by promoting continuous professional development, this training plays a crucial role in talent retention and enhancing workplace satisfaction.”

Age NI offer a range of Age Friendly training for employees. To find out more visit www.ageni.org/training more information contact Claudine Kelly, claudine.kelly@ageni.org