David Blunkett's observation (external link) that people should be prepared to work as long as they are physically able to - cheerily summarised as "work till you drop" by the Daily Express - raises a few interesting questions. Should organisations be scrapping their retirement ages now? How should pay and benefit packages best be structured to suit this arrangement?
More than that, however, it highlights the general ambivalence that some employers still have when thinking about how older workers fit into their organisation - and even vice versa. The age discrimination Regulations introduced two years ago clearly outlaws the unfavourable treatment of employees on the grounds of age. (Although there are important exemptions that relate to recruitment, retirement and redundancy.)
But it's not all bad news. New legislation almost inevitably places additional demands on employers. It also provides the opportunity to examine HR policies in a new light. For instance, does an organisation really want policies that effectively mean that its age profile looks more like this (chart in external link) than this (chart in external link)?
These graphs relate to Nationwide and British Airways respectively.
By happy coincidence, IRS is now investigating the impact of the introduction of the age discrimination Regulations on recruitment and would like to request your help. Our survey will highlight how you can ensure your organisation remains legally compliant, while also gaining real business benefits from doing so.
More specifically, this confidential survey investigates any changes that organisation have made due to the age discrimination Regulations and assesses their impact on staff retention, tribunal claims and, of course, legal compliance.
Take part in the IRS age discrimination in recruitment survey here.
More information on all IRS surveys can be found on our research website.
|
| Permalink | Email this |
