Here are 10 smart things to manage an ageing workforce
The Default Retirement Age (DRA) was abandoned on 13th January 2011* and people don’t have to retire before they want to. As the demographics of the country changes – there will be a lot more older people and fewer young recruits – we will need a culture change to recruit from the widest talent pool making decisions on merit, not stereotypes.
Between 6 April and 30 September, only people who were notified before 6 April, and whose retirement date is before 1 October, can be compulsorily retired. So, while we are passed the April deadline there is much you can do to manage the situation; here is our guide to employers to help you adjust:
- Retirement rethink – it is not a ‘cut-off’ on a given date as different people will want to retire at different ages, many will want a gradual wind-down rather than switch-off!
- Open a dialogue – a mature conversation is a must as you can no-longer initiate the action: hear what your people plan and might reasonably expect.
- Revise the job description – with key skill shortages looming your best option might be ‘retention’ rather than ‘retire-recruit’. Get some decent HR advice if you need it.
- All change – offer a changing role to suit the talents of what you’ve got (within reason) to get the best from people. Some may want a side-ways step or down-step so you may be able to draw on that talent rather than have to retire it.
- Be flexible – rather than ‘resist’ or ‘bend and break’! Flexi-time and part-time may help you and them deliver better client service.
- Reward success – make sure people realize that you reward on results, not just what they bring in terms of knowledge or experience. Flexible benefits work well here.
- Train-to-gain – people in their 50’s and 60’s (possibly released from family ties) may be interested in re-learning, and anyway, will still perform better if you invest in their careers – and older people are less likely to change jobs, too.
- Open minds as well as doors – make it known that you are going to welcome more mature job applicants – put your ads where older and younger applicants will see it. This has a positive effect on your existing staff, too.
- Be inclusive – make sure your diversity policy is implemented and help all sectors: deafness is the butt of music hall gags but is seriously unfunny for the victim (and one in six of you reading this have a hearing problem). So, where are your induction loops? And what about helping elderly clients?
- Your call – are you saying, ‘we can teach an old dog new tricks’ or ‘is it the clock or decanter?’
So, while management training might not be mandatory for you – beyond Management Course Stage One – the way we do it at the Connect2Law Hubs is a dynamic way for you to start to build the hardest of skills – the soft skills – as a manager of lawyers.
So, want to be more professional and improve the engagement of your people...
Talk to your Connect2Law Hub.
*Between 6 April and 1 October 2011 the DRA is being gradually phased out. The last day employees can be compulsorily retired using the DRA will be 30 September 2011. This means that the last day to provide the six months’ notice required under the DRA was 30 March 2011.
From 1 October, employers will not be able to use the DRA to compulsorily retire employees. There will still be exceptions to these new rules, however. Employers may continue to have a compulsory retirement age, but must be able to prove it is justified if challenged at an Employment Tribunal.
A detailed explanation of how the removal of the DRA may affect you is available on the ACAS website. See http://www.acas.org.uk; and The Employment Equality (Repeal of Retirement Age Provisions) Regulations 2011 at http://www.legislation.gov.uk; (accessed 30th June 2011) for more guidance.
