Flexibility of 'utmost importance' for over-50s

Digital community and advocate for people aged 50 and over firm Rest Less surveyed 1,000 of its job-seeking members aged 50 and over on behalf of pub group Fuller’s.

When asked what their top priority when looking for a job was, around six in 10 (62%) wanted a role that fitted around their life.

Earning enough money to pay the bills was most important to just over a third (34%) while 4% had career progression at the top of their priorities.

Furthermore, those surveyed were also asked about how work needed to fit in with their life. A fifth (20%) said they needed to balance working with caring responsibilities and the same percentage (20%) said it needed to balance with their own health conditions. Some 13% said they had children or grandchildren to look after.

Fuller’s people and talent director Dawn Browne said: “People aged 50+ are a really important talent pool for Fuller’s.

“We find our older employees bring valuable skills, wisdom and insight to the table thanks to their years of experience both inside and out of work."

Utmost importance

Browne added: “Their softer skills, typically honed through years of practice, make them excellent candidates for customers service roles – the lifeblood of the hospitality sector.

“Our report with Rest Less shows flexible work practices are of the utmost importance to this demographic.

“Fuller’s is a family business and we understand just how difficult it is for our older workforce to juggle health, family or caring responsibilities alongside a job.

“That is why we are hoping our flexible shift lengths and work patterns give all our team members the flexibility they need to live their lives alongside earning an income.”

The benefits of a multigenerational workforce are huge, according to Rest Less chief executive Stuart Lewis.

Flexibility priority

He added: “With almost all of the UK’s future population growth coming from people over the age of 50, embracing age is becoming an essential part of future workforce planning for most large organisations.

“As leading advocates of age inclusivity in the workforce, Rest Less is proud to partner with some of the UK’s most progressive employers such as Fuller’s, which is leading the way on how to build age diverse, multigenerational teams.

“Our report, in partnership with Fuller’s, shows flexibility is an absolute priority to today’s midlife employees.

“Part-time work and flexible shift and working patterns – which are increasingly being adopted in the hospitality sector – are resulting in a significant increase in applicant interest among midlife workers in the hospitality sector.

“We also see a lot of interest in the hospitality sector, from candidates keen to remain active, social and visible in their local communities in frontline roles.”

Meanwhile, research earlier this year (June) from hospitality recruitment platform Barcats revealed 72% of pub and restaurant operators agreed having more over 50s on the payroll could help ease the workforce crisis​.

The survey of 1,000 hospitality managers responsible for recruiting staff found 64% would consider hiring someone over the age of 50 while half (49%) praised the reliability of older workers over younger ones.

Moreover, last year (December) trade body UKHospitality launched a guide to help pubs adapt their recruitment practices to get more over 50 workers​.