It’s official, the UK population is now up to 63.7 million, due to the largest recorded births last year (since 1972), reported the Office for National Statistics yesterday. While this is not going to have an impact on employment levels for the next two decades, domiciliary care company Primary Care says it’s just another timely reminder that employers should start rehabilitating their attitudes to older employees by actively seeking to employ them. Prince Charles is in agreement too, and has been banging on that particular drum since 1999 – yes for THAT long – through the Prince’s Initiative for Mature Enterprise (PRIME).
Since it was established, PRIME has supported over 25,000 people aged over 50 in the UK to get back into the labour market, by starting their own businesses. The charity supports over 50s through the delivery of training, mentoring, advice, development support and networking opportunities.
Although unemployment figures in Essex have improved slightly, paid employment for people in the 50-64 age group remains a concern. 46% of them have been out of work for a year or more and are concerned about their reduced prospects of ever finding a job. They face a future plagued by worries and uncertainty, with many potentially finding themselves unable to keep up their mortgage payments or rent.
Commenting on these latest statistics, Natalie Emmerson, director, Primary Care, said: “As employers we all have to respect and value ‘tomorrow’s pensioners’ today. They have a lifetime of experience and skills that can be used in the workplace and they often have an innate understanding of how to handle situations with a level of diplomacy that would be hard to teach. And they’re great team players too.”
Primary Care practises what it preaches. Of its 135 employees, 46% are over 50 years old and 16% over 60. This mix of older and younger people has created an energetic and productive environment where everyone is keen to learn from each other. Old school etiquette and new technology may appear to be odd bedfellows but what started as a happy accident is now an integral part of Primary Care’s recruitment strategy. “Our customers like having people they can chat to about all kinds of subjects, and our older support workers are able to connect straight away with the older people we support and that’s important to us. The sooner we all start challenging the stereotypes and use the talent that’s in such plentiful supply, the better it will be for all businesses and the communities they serve,” added Emmerson.
We need more forward looking employers like Primary Care. We know you’re out there.
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