An ageing workforce: diversity in recruitment

EffectiveHRM blog from the pen of Kate Jones

Recent statistics show (ONS) that long-term unemployment for those over 50 has doubled since the start of the recession and the ‘Managing an ageing workforce’ report published by the CIPD reveals that the job application is one of the most common areas for disadvantages to occur due to age. Having a diverse workforce inclusive of older workers carries a number of benefits for any organisation and that is why Effective HRM has created this handy checklist to help create diversity in the recruitment process.  

 

1.   Use a variety of media when recruiting. In order to optimise your talent pool, consider the different platforms potential candidates might use when searching for a job vacancy, such as, online recruitment agencies or newspaper adverts.

 

2.   Collect and monitor recruitment data. This can be achieved by including an equal opportunities form together with a job application (not to be used as criteria for the post). Analysing the collected data will allow you to monitor employees entering the organisation and provide opportunities to create a more diverse recruitment strategy in the future. Click here to receive a free equal opportunities template form.

3.   Review recruitment images. Images that are situated within job advertisements have the potential to portray certain signals to candidates. For example; placing a photo of a group of young people along side your advert could be perceived as a reflection of your organisation and might imply an attempt at targeting that age range.

 

4.   Train employees appropriately. According to the CIPD, Only 14% of managers state that their organisation could adequately deal with issues that might arise from older workers. Training employees who manage diverse age groups will provide the necessary core competences required to effectively deal with any queries that might arise. Outsourcing equality and diversity training can be a cost-effective option for organisations that do not have an in-house HR department. 

5.   Acknowledge the halo effect. This is a process where you form a perception of someone based on a favourable characteristic such us appearance or punctuality and more often than not this perception can be formed subconsciously. Using a standardised selection process can help illuminate bias that can occur. Psychometric testing is a strong indicator of future job performance and does not consider personal characteristics.

6.   Flexible working options. Having a flexible working policy for your organisation will allow you to broaden your talent pool by offering those who cannot commit to longer working hours (for example those who have childcare commitments) the opportunity to apply. If flexible working is not suited to your organisation consider other options such as part-time contracts or job sharing.

 

7.   Regularly update recruitment policies. It is important for organisations to update any policies on a regular basis in order to comply with regulations and to ensure specific procedures are correct and up-to-date.