Over 50s 'concerned about job losses'
More than a quarter of workers (28 per cent) over the age of 50 have said that their job security and career development will be at risk if their employer decides to make redundancies.
That's according to a new survey from Age Concern and Help the Aged, which also found that almost half of those polled (47 per cent) were concerned about their pensions prospects.
Almost two-thirds of respondents added that the recession meant that they had to work longer than they wanted to.
Michelle Mitchell‚ charity director for Age Concern and Help the Aged, said: "These figures paint an extremely bleak picture for millions of over 50s whose working lives are at risk of being cut short by the recession."
She added: "During this difficult time‚ we are urging employers to start seeing beyond job applicants' age and look at the skills‚ experience and commitment older workers have to offer."
Age Concern and Help the Aged are two charities who have recently merged to form one single entity.
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People over 50 years old may very well feel vulnerable at this time. Not simply because of the fact that being old could be justification for making them redundant (albeit an illegal one). But no, its because their employability isn't too brilliant if they needed to switch careers to stay in work. Or at least, this is how it's perceived anyway.
I recall it used to be over 40 and you would find it more difficult to get a new job as you were perceived to be past it in the sense of not being modern enough or lacking drive.
Despite the perception, a lot of over 50's still have a lot to offer and are not necessarily looking to cruise towards retirement.
The problem is, how do you get these perceptions to change? I would guess that a lot of publicity about older workers doing great things would help create a demand for them.
B&Q have a positive message to sell for the older workers but we need a lot more stories to get into the news and on a consistent basis.
Time for employers to audit the uptake and engagement of employees who are fifty plus in training and development and life long learning opportunities. If there are issues around attitudes and perceptions about and from older workers or perceived/actual blocks which prevent older workers engaging, these need to be addressed by ensuring that managers are equipped to recognise the potential of older workers and create an environment where they can continue to develop their skills.