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Original poster

Rishi wants the over 50s back to work, which are the companies clamouring for over 50s employees?

177 replies

StarInTheHeavens · 12/01/2023 11:25

I never hear about a shortage of over 50s staff so who are the companies that will absorb this workforce?

OP posts:
Brefugee · 12/01/2023 11:27

the one i work for (non UK) doesn't discriminate on basis of age and we have a range of ages over most "ranks"

The problem with what Rishi wants here is that he, and the companies, want the experience and expertise of a 50 year old with 30 years work experience, but the salary of a junior apprentice.

Original poster
StarInTheHeavens · 12/01/2023 19:24

bumping for the evening crowd Grin

OP posts:
RoseAndRose · 12/01/2023 19:26

The Beeb news said there are 100,000 vacant NHS posts, so he's perhaps hoping to find people to go into those. Or entry level care workers

sweatyannie · 12/01/2023 19:27

Brefugee · 12/01/2023 11:27

the one i work for (non UK) doesn't discriminate on basis of age and we have a range of ages over most "ranks"

The problem with what Rishi wants here is that he, and the companies, want the experience and expertise of a 50 year old with 30 years work experience, but the salary of a junior apprentice.

Spot on !

idonotmind · 12/01/2023 19:35

I'll mention this to my mother when I speak to her, I'm sure she'll be all over it

If you pay her what she's worth, of course

Mistlewoeandwhine · 12/01/2023 20:16

I’m 52 and still working. I probably will be until at least 66/67. Who are all these happily retired 50 year olds?

StormObelisk · 12/01/2023 20:20

Same here, I’m mid fifties in a senior role. No discrimination recruitment wise whatsoever. I employed someone in their early sixties before Christmas.

There’s a lot of experience in this potential workforce.

Bettethebuilder · 12/01/2023 20:22

Surely most people over 50 are in work. I work full time at 57. I don’t know anyone of my age who doesn’t work.

Kazzyhoward · 12/01/2023 20:26

Bettethebuilder · 12/01/2023 20:22

Surely most people over 50 are in work. I work full time at 57. I don’t know anyone of my age who doesn’t work.

GPs, dentists, fire officers, police officers, etc.

But usually, they've had their tax free lump sum and getting a gold plated final salary pension, so won't be tempted back to work by "tax free" because they don't need the money, and therefore won't want the stress of returning to work.

Badger1970 · 12/01/2023 20:27

We actively pursue employees over 50, they're usually far less hassle than younger ones!

Howmanysleepsnow · 12/01/2023 20:29

If he wants nurses, he needs to look at the return to practice. The whole test is general nursing based (even for midwives/ MH nurses) and covers things other specialities aren’t taught/ doesn’t cover what they actually need to know… and costs around £800. The return to practice course is over twice that (plus the exam on top). A tax break won’t be enough to make the initial outlay worthwhile for many. If it’s NHS vacancies he’s trying to fill he’s going about it all wrong

Howmanysleepsnow · 12/01/2023 20:30

But, having gone off on that tangent…. Nurses over 50 would definitely still be a very attractive prospect.

converseandjeans · 12/01/2023 20:31

@Mistlewoeandwhine

I’m 52 and still working. I probably will be until at least 66/67. Who are all these happily retired 50 year olds?

Same. Been teaching 22 years and won't have pension until 67. That's another 17 years 😩

I think I will need to do something different from 60 onwards.

Parky04 · 12/01/2023 20:32

Mistlewoeandwhine · 12/01/2023 20:16

I’m 52 and still working. I probably will be until at least 66/67. Who are all these happily retired 50 year olds?

People like me. I'm 51, mortgage paid, decent amount of savings, plus a sizeable redundancy package due to covid. Also, have a very good pension to look forward to.

No way will I return to full time employment. If the government hadn't enforced those ridiculous draconian lockdowns then the majority of us would still be in full time employment and paying a substantial amount of tax. They only have themselves to blame!

Shinyandnew1 · 12/01/2023 20:33

Many of the teachers over 50 have been hounded out on capability/support plans because they had suddenly become inadequate (or they were too expensive, one of the two…!).

Chewbecca · 12/01/2023 20:33

My workplace- huge financial services city of London- has all the policies but the reality is there are very few over 50s working there, all made redundant in favour of bright eyed young people and people in India.

Perhaps we need to start reporting stats on the workforce age breakdown, with info on new hires and redundancies as well as the gender (should be sex) pay gap.

BoadiceaOverall · 12/01/2023 20:34

Brefugee · 12/01/2023 11:27

the one i work for (non UK) doesn't discriminate on basis of age and we have a range of ages over most "ranks"

The problem with what Rishi wants here is that he, and the companies, want the experience and expertise of a 50 year old with 30 years work experience, but the salary of a junior apprentice.

Exactly.

BigFatLiar · 12/01/2023 20:39

In some areas though older people who've been out of work for any length of time may no longer have the skills they once had. Things move on and if you haven't been keeping up to date then you may need retraining.

Babyroobs · 12/01/2023 20:40

Kazzyhoward · 12/01/2023 20:26

GPs, dentists, fire officers, police officers, etc.

But usually, they've had their tax free lump sum and getting a gold plated final salary pension, so won't be tempted back to work by "tax free" because they don't need the money, and therefore won't want the stress of returning to work.

Show quote history

Yes exactly. I have three friends who have retired recently in their mid fifities. One a banker and rich, one a Nurse with a good NHS pension and one a civil servant who breezily declares on a regular basis that her pension is too good an option not to retire as she'll get almost a s much as she currently earns. None of them have any intention of working again.

NomDePrune · 12/01/2023 20:41

There are quite a few civil service vacancies and they don't discriminate. I joined at 57 and I'm the 3rd oldest in my team. Age really isn't an issue here and although the pay isn't amazing it's very secure with good benefits.

Cottagecheeseisnotcheese · 12/01/2023 20:41

re nurses doctors dentists etc over 50 and certainly over 60; 12 hour shifts are really hard as you get older in any job also with menopuase often comes poor sleeping made even worse by combinations of early and late shifts, I reckon more would stay in NHS if there was a way of working shorter and more predictable hours without adverse effects on pension, like your pension may actually worse if you work only 2-3 days a week from 59-62, then if you retired at 59 completely as a FT employee
I retired as a dentist just before covid I am not going back as I was tired by 4pm every single day I always was a morning person but I could cope with working late until menopause now I just can't I asked if I could finish at 3pm no you have to do late nights, I Knew I couldn't so I left, also it wouldn't have been great for the patient however convienient at 6pm-7pm appointment is if you dentist is too tired it is not safe now work part time for myself in antiques until I collect pension at 60, was in grave danger of burnout

SommerTen · 12/01/2023 20:41

My Mum lost her office admin job in her early 50s, and could only find a similar role in a workplace with older aged staff members.
If you are private sector office based then recruiters are not supposed to discriminate but some do it seems...

I work in the public sector in a hospital & at 46 I'm one of the 'younger' staff members on my ward, however the physical nature of healthcare means that many over a certain age have bad backs, hips, knees etc and are competing for the few 'lighter' roles.

Even retail jobs can be tough with many roles being multi skilled eg you can't just sit on a checkout, you may have to lift groceries & crates to stack shelves as well, and the retail sector is well known to treat any sick employees badly.

Rishi et al are not living in the real world.

fakenamefornow · 12/01/2023 20:43

I'm over 50 and have just started a near minimum wage part time job. I don't need the money but chose this job specifically because it has a lot of walking around looking at stuff. I need to get fit and know I'm never going to have a personality transplant and suddenly love going to the gym. So far so good, I'm now getting in nearly 20,000 steps a work day.

ICouldHaveCheckedFirst · 12/01/2023 20:47

Curious to know what you do, @fakenamefornow . Sounds ideal!

Alexandra2001 · 12/01/2023 20:48

Kazzyhoward · 12/01/2023 20:26

GPs, dentists, fire officers, police officers, etc.

But usually, they've had their tax free lump sum and getting a gold plated final salary pension, so won't be tempted back to work by "tax free" because they don't need the money, and therefore won't want the stress of returning to work.

Show quote history

But these folk always have retired in their 50s, in fact due to smaller pensions than say 20 years ago.. less likely too now.

It's all about blame... blame the retirees instead of Govt policies, inaction and lack of planning.

In regard to the NHS, might be better to improve retention but that needs better pay... which he wont give.