Companies Encouraged to Realise the Benefits of a Older Workforce

Learning4business, an online training provider who specialise in workplace legislation courses, is looking to highlight the benefits of the new Age Legislation due to come in to force on the 1st of October this year. The company hopes that their courses will help businesses to understand the new legislation and allow them to see the increased opportunities available to UK businesses that employ older staff.

The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations are the final piece in the jigsaw of European directives aimed at ensuring equality and diversity in the workplace. The regulations will make it unlawful to discriminate against workers, employees, jobseekers and trainees because of their age. However, a recent survey of 400 companies, carried out by insurance firm AXA, showed that of those who are aware of the changes, 44 per cent have failed to prepare for them. AXA warned that firms need to review their working practices before the new regulations come into effect in October 2006.

Peter Howell, managing director of learning4business, is keen to highlight the importance of the legislation; “it is essential that employers are familiar with changes to age legislation and demonstrate good practice around equality and diversity within their organisations.”

However, Mr Howell is also keen to emphasise the positive effects that these changes will have on firms. "There are many benefits in having a mixed-age workforce, such as having access to the skills and experience of a wider talent pool; older workers offer years of experience and can still instil a greater sense of continuity in companies while younger workers tend to move between businesses and industries on a regular basis," he said.

How companies will be affected by the new legislation will not be known until after 1st October but businesses could see considerable benefits from operating an age positive strategy. These gains are expected to include improvements to the bottom line as well as encouraging employers to make the best use of skills and experience in turn encouraging a more diverse workforce, new ideas, and access to wider markets.