As if Covid didn’t cause us enough grief already this decade. Now, we’re up against a cost-of-living crisis and unprecedented staff shortage issues.
It seems somewhat crazy that the two have coincided. You’d think there would be a mile-long queue for your latest vacancy, right? Great company, great salary, great benefits. Yet you’ve exhausted your little black book, tested the market ten times and upped the salary to entice talent. Still, nothing.
What’s a Hiring Manager to do?!
But maybe, just maybe, there is a demographic you’re overlooking altogether…
The rise of the professionally mature hire
Retirees? I know, right. They’re RETIRED! The very essence of their title tells you they no longer wish to work!
Or maybe they do. Be honest, has your latest campaign even attempted to tap into this market and ask them?
To be fair, most people aged over 60 are sitting comfortably and don’t need to work. The mortgage is paid off, and there is plenty in the pension pot for fun things – holidays, eating out, and spoiling the grandchildren rotten.
Yet, with approximately 18% of the UK population falling into this age bracket, they might well prove the answer to your staffing problems. If only you could offer them something worth hanging up their slippers for…
What do people want in a job?
A recent Guardian article exploring the UK’s current quandary suggests higher pay, flexibility and improved working conditions will help more people stay in work. And perhaps some support from the government by way of better training and a public transport system that’s affordable and operates effectively.
If you look at why people younger than retirement age are quitting their jobs in the first place, it’s a little worrying. Burnout and stress are frequently mentioned as reasons to take a break. So is a lack of job satisfaction. Yet these are components a business owner can resolve relatively easily should they choose to, in the first instance, levelling the workload so it’s more manageable and less likely to cause stress. And if people want greater job satisfaction, what does this look like when you’re over sixty and have no interest in a career?
Well, there are a few tricks you might try to entice the retirees back.
Hiring retired people: top tips to get them back working!
Job sharing For retirees not keen on committing to full-time work, consider offering a job share. It’s highly likely that others of a similar age and demographic are happy to work just a few hours or days each week, allowing both ‘sharers’ to benefit from a wage while enjoying time to relax away from work. It’s a win-win-win-win.
Flexibility Working hours are just one part of a flexibility benefit. How about giving your returning retirees complete freedom about their hours and work location? Or create a part-time structure to suit their lifestyle – Tuesday to Thursday only, means a four-day weekend every weekend, which will look attractive to many.
Purpose over profit It’s everywhere these days: purpose – and by that, we mean brands that have a clear purpose they’re proud to project. Maybe it’s around sustainability or giving their profit to people in need. Plenty of people in their senior years will connect with a brand’s purpose and find their own views resonate with them nicely. If you have a clear purpose and are not telling the world about it, then it’s probably time you did!
Well-being When did you last check if your well-being policy catered to the older generations? Take time to ask any current employees of a similar age what well-being means to them; better still, once you have some older candidates lined up for interviews, ask them to create their own personal well-being package.
Experience People who have worked for thirty years or so have bags of the stuff – so, make them feel special about it! Whatever role they’re applying for, you can bet your boots their skills extend way beyond that capacity and will prove useful elsewhere in the business. Make sure you explore all options during the interview stage – who knows; you could have some exceptional talent in front of you, more suited (and highly valuable) elsewhere in your business.
Do you need support finding new hires for your business? Permanent or part-time, One to One Recruitment can help you. Call our team today for a chat!