Shut Out

Our longer working lives, the need to move between different roles at different life stages, and the increasingly challenging job market brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic mean that the recruitment environment is more important than ever. Currently, many older workers applying for jobs feel that their age counts against them (Centre for Ageing Better, in press). This is particularly relevant as data shows that the oldest and youngest workers are among the hardest hit by the pandemic, and it is imperative that age is not a barrier to applicants in the recruitment process. Even before the pandemic, it was clear that more could be done to make the most of the age shift in our workforce. Research has shown that more than 800,000 people aged 50 and over are not in work but would like to be and that workers over 50 are half as likely to move jobs as someone under 50.