Older employees can be retained through flexible working

Following the announcement that the coalition government is to scrap the default retirements age reports now claim that employers could hold on to older, valued employees by enabling them to enjoy more flexible working hours.

It was recently announced by the UK coalition government that the defaults retirement age was to be scrapped from next year, which is something that has been welcomed by older workers and a variety of campaign groups. With older workers now no longer having to retire when they reach sixty five employers could use incentives to persuade their valued older members of staff to stick around.

According to one recent report one of the ways in which employers could hang on to their more valued older workers is by offering more flexible working hours, which is what many of those that reach what is now the default retirement age but do not want to give up work completely will be looking for.

With higher speed broadband and mobile broadband services easily available to many businesses many will easily be able to offer older workers more flexible hours in order to retain them as employees. One official said that with the retirement age being scrapped and people being able to stay in their jobs for longer the ability to offer more flexible working hours had become increasingly importantly.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development stated: “It is perfectly practical for people to work into their 70s or longer. They can use their experience to balance their slightly diminished physical abilities. So they put in just as good a performance.” It added: “When people are working into older ages, employers will need to give more thought to part-time working and working from home.”

Source – xlntelecom