"You're only as old as you feel"

The news has been saturated by reports of growing youth unemployment and the problems that spark from this. Looking forward however, it has been predicted that in the next 10 years there will be an estimated 13.5 million job vacancies that will need to be filled in the UK, despite the recent downturn. Therefore you might think that the answer to the problem of unemployment has been found. Not quite. The next statistic to add to the mix warns that there will only be 7 million young people entering the workforce who are available for these vacancies. Employers will then perhaps need to look to the older generation of workers to fill these vacancies as there will no doubt also be a skills gap that will emerge.


This presents an opportunity and a challenge. We are all now in the position where it is likely we will have to work for longer and the recent removal of the Default Retirement Age (65) means that employers can no longer lawfully force an older worker to retire. Therefore it appears that a balance has been reached.

The initial fears about employment tribunal claims from older workers claiming age discrimination having been forced out through capability and performance managements processes, post removal of the DRA have yet to materialise, so we now need to remember that ‘you’re only as old as you feel’. At a time when the jobs market remains depressed, it is difficult to imagine a situation where we have a ‘jobs to people’ ratio shortfall, but it will most likely come and it is only the people you recruit who will help drive the business forward and make the most of an upturn.

http://www.hrdept.co.uk/se_london.htm