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Over-50s already make up a third of the UK workforce, and that share is set to grow. Longer life expectancies, a rising state pension age, and shifting attitudes towards work mean people are staying in employment for longer.
With this shift, more and more employers are seeking to recruit and retain later-life talent, building intergenerational teams that are more creative, innovative, and adaptable. But many older adults are looking to move away from traditional nine-to-fives.
Instead, flexibility has become a top priority. Research from the Centre for Ageing Better and flexible working consultancy Timewise found that 72% of people aged 55 and over want flexible working to achieve a better work-life balance. Crucially, they ranked it as the single most important workplace practice that would keep them in employment.
For employers, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. To attract and retain this growing demographic, flexibility can’t be an afterthought; it needs to be a priority. Below, we discuss some research-backed tips to help you start using flexible working opportunities to recruit and retain over-50s.
What does flexible working involve?
Flexible working goes far beyond part-time hours or the occasional work-from-home day. It involves any arrangement that adapts working patterns to better suit an employee’s needs, while still meeting business goals.
Common flexible working adjustments include changes to…
- Where they work – e.g. remote or hybrid.
- When they work – e.g. compressed hours or flexible start/finish times.
- How much they work – e.g. job sharing or reduced hours. Phased retirement is popular among over-50s. This is where someone gradually reduces their hours as they move towards retirement.
Flexible arrangements can be formal, informal, or a mix of both. Informal arrangements are minor, often temporary adjustments agreed verbally or in writing, while formal adjustments are longer-term changes that usually involve contract amendments.
As of April 6th 2024, all employees have the legal right to request flexible working arrangements, and employers are obligated to deal with these requests in a ‘reasonable manner’. You can find out more about employer duties regarding flexible working requests on the government website.
Why do over-50s want flexible working?
Our conversations with members have revealed a range of motivations behind the desire for flexible working.
For some, it’s essential, whether to manage health conditions or balance caring responsibilities. But for others, it’s about choice and making the most of later life. For example, they might want to dedicate more time to their passions – from travelling to starting a business of their own.
You can read more about the reasons why over-50s are looking for flexible work in our article here.
5 tips for recruiting and retaining over-50s with flexible working
1. Actively promote flexible working options to employees
As mentioned above, research indicates that 72% of people aged 55 or over want flexible working. However, the same report from Timewise and the Centre for Ageing Better also found that nearly a third of over-50s are unaware of their right to request it – and almost a quarter don’t feel comfortable asking.
Reasons for this hesitancy vary. Some older adults worry about rejection or negative reactions from managers. Others fear that requesting flexibility signals a lack of commitment or professionalism. Last year’s Flexible After Fifty report, published by the CIPD and 50Plus Choices Employer Taskforce, highlighted this perception as a barrier.
What’s more, the aforementioned research from Timewise and the Centre for Ageing Better found that 80% of line managers have never proactively raised flexible working at annual appraisals.
With this in mind, it’s important for businesses offering flexible working to actively promote these options to new and existing employees – and reassure them that it’s a viable and acceptable pathway where possible.
This could be during appraisals or through other channels. For example, Charlotte Woodworth, gender equality campaign director at BITC, suggests detailing what flexible working is on your company website and profiling staff who are already working flexibly. This can help raise awareness about flexible working among employees, normalise conversations about it, and provide concrete, inspiring examples.
2. Convey that flexibility is for everyone and remain reason-neutral
Companies might not be able to offer the same flexible working arrangements to all their employees. For example, some roles may permit home working, while others might not. However, flexible working should be offered to all employees where possible, as not doing so can be seen as discriminatory.
Companies must also remember to maintain a reason-neutral policy when discussing flexible working options with employees. This means not giving certain motivations for wanting flexible work (i.e. caring, parenting, health issues, etc.) more validity or weight than others.
However, provided a reason-neutral policy is maintained, it can be useful for line managers and their reports to discuss the reasons behind a flexible working request, as this can help to choose arrangements that work for both sides.
3. Make sure that training opportunities are offered flexibly
A 2023 study of older workers commissioned by legal firm Osborne Clarke revealed that 96% of respondents thought they would need additional training to continue doing their jobs until their intended retirement age.
However, the study also found that 40% were concerned they wouldn’t be able to grasp the new skills required for their changing roles, and 38% reported feeling pressure from their company to learn new skills, but doubted their ability to do so.
In their report, the CIPD and 50Plus Choices Employer Taskforce point to these statistics as clear indicators that companies must tailor training opportunities to “support different learning styles and needs” if they want to retain later-life talent – in other words, offer them flexibly.
Like flexible working, flexible training can take many forms. One example may be switching from in-person training to distance eLearning where possible. This can free up employees to complete courses when and where it suits them, while reducing any nervousness they may feel about attending in person.
4. Include flexibility in job adverts
According to Timewise, as of 2023, only 3 out of 10 job adverts overtly offered some form of flexible working. However, if you’re seeking to leverage later-life talent, promoting flexible working opportunities to potential employees is just as important as promoting them to existing ones.
For roles with flexible potential, employers could consider including the ‘Happy to Talk Flexible Working’ strapline and logo in job adverts. These were developed by Working Families and the Government’s Flexible Working Taskforce to help employers promote flexible roles.
Also in their adverts, employers could outline the types of flexible arrangements they’re willing to provide, plus any that the company offers as standard. According to the CIPD, job seekers find this early-stage clarity attractive. Employers can then discuss flexible working further during the interview process.
5. Remain flexible
As we’ve already mentioned, there are various reasons why over-50s might want flexible working, affecting what arrangements are right for them.
However, circumstances can change; health issues may arise, or employees may be forced to take on extra caring responsibilities. Therefore, employers looking to support their later-life talent through flexible working should try to remain flexible, even after agreeing on the initial arrangements.
For example, employers can agree on informal, temporary arrangements with employees to help them navigate sudden or short-term changes.
Final thoughts…
The proportion of over-50s in the workforce is growing. However, this isn’t the only reason why employers should focus on recruiting, retaining, and retraining later-life talent. Multigenerational teams offer many benefits, including higher productivity, adaptability, and creativity levels – ultimately leading to business growth.
Offering flexible working is a great way for employers to unlock this potential, and we hope the above tips have provided a helpful starting point – whether you’re considering if flexible working is right for your business, or you’re looking for ways to make it more available to your employees.
However, it’s worth saying that this article only scratches the surface of how to offer flexible working to over-50s. For further help and support, you can email us at [email protected] or get in touch here.
Have you had success recruiting/retaining over-50s talent with flexible working arrangements? If so, we’d like to hear from you in the comments below.
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