Age UK North Tyneside signs Age-friendly Employer Pledge

Age UK North Tyneside has signed the Age-friendly Employer Pledge, a free nationwide programme launched by the Centre for Ageing Better to improve the recruitment, retention and development of older workers.

A recent poll commissioned by Ageing Better reveals the scale of ageism in the workplace and demonstrates the urgent need for action. More than a fifth (21%) of UK adults aged 50+ indicated that since turning 50, they had regularly experienced ageist attitudes in the workplace or when applying for roles. And while approximately two thirds (64%) agreed they would feel comfortable in reporting ageist behaviour in the workplace, less than half (42%) said they would be confident any complaint would be taken seriously.

Sky-high labour and skills shortages are one of the biggest challenges facing our economy today- the latest ONS statistics revealed over one million vacancies in the final quarter of 2022-3. And with an ageing population, older workers can play a vital role in overcoming this. It has never been more important for employers to become age-friendly and take advantage of older workers’ skills and experience.

Signing the pledge

By signing the pledge, Age UK North Tyneside is demonstrating their support to tackling ageism in the workplace and committing to taking at least one action a year to improve the way they recruit, manage and support older workers. Under the initiative, Age UK North Tyneside will also identify a senior sponsor for age-inclusion within their workforce and ensure that age is specifically named within Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies.

Over 100 employers have already signed the pledge, including Virgin Hotels, Osborne Clarke and the Department for Work and Pensions. Age UK North Tyneside is proud to be joining other leading organisations in taking action to help older workers flourish in the workplace.

A word from Age UK North Tyneside

Dawn McNally, Group Chief Executive at Age UK North Tyneside, said:

“As a charity working for the benefit of older people in North Tyneside, combating ageism is something very close to our hearts. We’re delighted to be able to demonstrate our commitment to supporting older workers by signing the Age-friendly Employer Pledge.

“We’re proud to have many employees in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. From carers to office staff to members of our Senior Leadership Team, there is no reason that age should exclude anyone from a role they’re capable of.

“By signing this pledge, we hope to demonstrate to older workers across the region that they are welcome at Age UK North Tyneside and EveryDay Care & Support. We also like to think we can serve as an example to other organisations in the region, and hope that they will follow suit in signing the Age-friendly Employer Pledge.”

A word from the Centre for Ageing Better

Dr Carole Easton, Chief Executive at the Centre for Ageing Better, said:

“The pledge has been designed to support businesses to go on a journey at a pace that works for them. By taking manageable and measurable steps, employers will learn over time what steps they need to take to make the biggest difference in their own organisation.”

“The labour market is changing and employers are facing huge challenges with skills and labour shortages and near-record vacancy rates. Workers in their 50s and 60s are key to filling these gaps - now, more than ever, the older workforce is the workforce.

“And yet older workers are continuing to leave the labour market in droves. We want to help businesses understand how they can be attractive employers to older workers and reap the benefits of a multigenerational workforce.”

The Centre for Ageing Better supports the network of Age-friendly Employers by providing a full framework of actions to take alongside a range of learning resources and content to help employers make changes within their organisation. Regular newsletters share tips and guidance, while Ageing Better also host webinars where pledged employers can learn and share best practice. Organisations report back to Ageing Better on the progress of their age-friendly actions too.

Join the Age UK North Tyneside team

To find out more about the age-friendly roles available at Age UK North Tyneside, call us on 0191 287 7011 or click here.