Employing Older Workers: Case Studies, Challenges, and Solutions

This report examines the practices of employing older workers within organizations. It begins by presenting three examples of good practices, including age-neutral recruitment, flexible working, and employee retention strategies, drawing from case studies of Lilian Faithful Homes, NHS Portsmouth, and McDonald's. The report then discusses three key challenges in employing older workers: increased wages, adaptability to change, and energy/physical health considerations, along with their implications for organizations. Finally, the report provides recommendations to overcome these challenges, such as building a healthy mentoring culture, investing in employee health and fitness, and investing in career development, to foster a supportive and productive work environment for older workers. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of adapting these strategies to manage a diverse workforce effectively.

Employing older workers in
contemporary organizations

Table of Content
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Presenting three examples of good practices for employing older workers with justification....3
Discussing three key challenges in employing older workers and implication of these
challenges....................................................................................................................................5
Describing recommendations to overcome such challenges.......................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Employing older worker within organization will help to improve the economy and also
assist to meet workforce shortage as well. The current study is based upon different case studies
in which older employees are working because they are reliable source of skilled labour as
compared to younger generation. Therefore, the present study will help to understand different
good practices used by various company for employing older workers and then examine the
challenges face by different companies in order to employing older workers along with different
recommendations.
MAIN BODY
Presenting three examples of good practices for employing older workers with justification
Example 1
Lilian faithful Homes which is a registered charity based in Cheltenham. The company is
deal under the care home and also operates three residential care homes. It also committed to
operating age neutral recruitment policies, employing staff based on their ability without any
discrimination. It is the good practice run by the company and it provide a new chance to all
employees without any discrimination on the basis of age. For example, Elleen Trigg was
recruited at the age of 70 after being retire from a lifelong career as a bookbinder. Hence, this is
a good practice perform by the company and as a result, it helps to provide a stable workforce in
which there are many older workers which in turn reduce the cost of recruitment (Nilsson, 2018).
On the other side, flexible working and retention is a good practice run by Lilian faithful
Homes that help to support the business in order to retain the older workers for longer time
period. Through this practice employees are respond naturally by examining the need of their
staff as they get older and hence this ensured that workers are retained. Therefore, it can be
stated that by offering flexible working to employees will assist to boost morale and also
improve their physical and mental well-being. Hence this is an example which clearly reflected
that it retain employees and praise by other employees which in turn improve the working
performance.

Example 2
Under health care industry, NHS Portsmouth has a strong history of valuing and
supporting the older workforce from 2005 onward. The company was established in 2010 as a
tryst but now, it commissioning primary care trust where more than 700 employees are recruited.
Earlier company face many challenges but after the time passes the company is easily make
changes and improve productivity as well. Also in 2005 the Trust was operating without a
default Retirement Age rather than focusing on the wellbeing of all staff. Also there are many
policies implemented by the company whose main purpose is to discuss the ideas and suggestion
relating to employment and working condition.
Moreover, the approach is also related to older workers that help to strengthen the
workforce by their recognition of need in order to not continue to develop talent of all ages.
Therefore, company also maintain the regular performance reviews and determine the
performance of an employee, then making results (Mäcken, 2019). In addition to this, flexible
working option is another policy offered by the company which help people to choose as per
their flexibility. Further, it also enables the people to continue work and retain the valuable
experience within workforce. For example, company recruit a person i.e. Wendy Cooper whose
age is 90 was invited to work for Trust, as she have a good experience in NHS organization. The
lady is also known by the directors because of her good work. Hence it is analyzed that with the
help of effective policies company is able to improve the retaining power of employees and this
in turn improve the working environment of a company.
Example 3
McDonald’s which is deal under hospitality industry and has 1200 restaurant across the
UK and there are around 85000 employees working from last many years. Hence it is not easy to
maintain the entire workforce in better manner and for that it keep offering new policies that
helps to retain many employees. Such that offering flexible working environment to their
employees will help to meet the demand of both a busy work and personal life (Skučienė and
Moskvina, 2019). Through this way, company is able to improve the performance and
productivity of an employee as well. Apart from this, another policy is implemented by the
company i.e. Family and Friend contract within UK in which it allow family working in same

restaurant to share and cover each other’s shift. Hence this policy is assist the company to offer
the product and services by widening the group of employees. Hence this schemes is benefitted
to numerous age group such that student with last minute deadline, busy working women with
children and older people so that they easily caring responsibilities.
Discussing three key challenges in employing older workers and implication of these challenges
From the above study of the three different case scenarios related to several organisations
operating in different segment or industry like hospitality, home care and health care. All this
organisation has pursued good or healthy policies in order to retained older as well as younger
generation within organisation. Different practices for their satisfaction and happiness have
motivated maximum number of workers to give their best for growth and success of enterprise.
Older workers are individuals that have age above 65, having less capability or energy to
perform specific task in particular manner so that large amount of profit can be enjoyed by firm
(Taylor and Woodhams, 2016). Company face lot of challenges in employing older work force
within firm so among them main three challenges that are faced by organisation are explained
below:
1. Increase in wages or salary: It has been identified or founded that one of the challenges
in employing older workers within enterprise is that company need to pay more wages or
salary to them. As they have more knowledge, skills and experienced related to the way
particular task can be completed in best possible manners so that end outcome can be
achieved. Older worker not required training related to the way particular task can be
completed as they have gained expertise or more knowledge in similar field. At the same
time, as per increase in age and responsibilities, individual’s needs and demand increase
thus it require more amount of salary or wages to fulfil them. Therefore, it have been
identified that to retained or employee’s older age group worker firm have to face
challenge of increase in wages or salary. Thus, it resulted in increase in overall cost of
organisation as it have to pay more wages to older workers so that they can stay positive
to work effectively for benefit of organisation.
2. Adaptability: Another challenge that companies have to face while employing older age
worker in the firm is that they always resist to adapt to new changes that are happening in
external environment. Older age group individual’s likes to work in similar manners that

they usually used to perform specific task thus they create resistance in learning new
things. So, it is a great point of concern for employers as employees that come off as
superior to job are always not ready to adapt to new environment and condition as they
have become habitual of specific system and procedure (Gerpott, Lehmann-Willenbrock,
and Voelpel, 2017). In short it can be stated that manager find difficult or challenges in
motivating and managing older workers to adapt changes of external environment so that
company can retained its market share. They are unable to adapt with innovative
technology or does not have skills to provide services with new technologies so it impact
on growth and sustainability of enterprise for longer time frame. Impact of non
adaptability by older worker on firm is that organization is unable to cope up with
changes happening in external environment. Thus, it leads to dissatisfaction among
customers, decrease in overall sales volume and profitability.
3. Energy and physical health: The third key challenges that are faced by company while
managing or employing people that belong to older age is that their energy level and
health condition. There are many individuals that think older workers have less energy or
capabilities to give maximum outcome. At the same time as per increase in their age,
number of diseases trends to increases or complication in their health. Therefore, it can
be stated that medical issues is major gap or challenges in employing older workforce in
the enterprise (Imperatori, 2017). Older workers cannot perform actively work as
younger generation due to lack of energy and better health condition so it lead wastages
of lot of time. So, company need to put efforts or energy or incurred additional cost or
expenses to maintain better health and well-being of individuals so that they can make
best utilisation of their capabilities.
Therefore, it can be understand that these three are most basic challenges that an enterprise face
while recruiting hiring and retaining employees that belong to age group of over 55 -60. So,
manager of company have to keep all such challenges in mind while deciding several strategies
to manage diverse employees that are working for smooth operation of business.
Describing recommendations to overcome such challenges.
From the analysis of above it can be illustrated that there are three major challenges such
as energy and physical health, adaptability and increase in wages that company face while

employing older workers. So, there are key steps that could be taken by firms in order to remove
or overcome all these three challenges are as follows:
Build a healthy or mentoring culture: The first key steps or action that can be fruitful in
retaining older workers in enterprise is building or developing health work culture so that
employees are motivated to give their best. Mentoring culture is types of organisation culture in
which senior or manager always provides guideline, assistance to employees or workers
regarding the way particular task can be completed (Rožman, Treven and Čančer, 2017). So,
through mentoring culture company can easily influence older age worker to change their styles
or method of performing task as per external environment so that company can continuously
grow and expand its business operation.
Investment in health and fitness of employees: Company needs to take crucial measure
towards maintaining better health of individuals so that they can actively work even in older age.
Proper rest, exercise time and nutritional food in canteen need to be given to older workers so
that they can work with more energy and capabilities to complete particular activities. Insurance
policies, safe and healthy work environment are some other key measures that could contribute
company in overcoming several health issues that faced by older age workers (Matveev, 2017).
Investment in career development: It can be stated that company needs to pay higher wages to
older workers as compared to younger or new ones as they have less experienced and knowledge
to complete specific task. So, company through making investment in their career development
can enhance their skill, motivate to work more effectively and efficient for more difficult and
complex task. Thus it can pay more wages for their high value and determination for competing
more complex task that could not be performed by others.
So, company by adapting or following all such key recommendation or suggestion can
easily overcome or minimise challenges face while employing older workers (Rožman and et.al.,
2019).
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from above analysis that there are several practices or strategies that
can be used by organisation to manage diverse range of individuals that are working in

enterprise. All the above three mentioned examples of company such as NHS Portsmouth, Lilian
faithful Homes and McDonald have make use of different practices to retained employees
satisfaction level and enhance overall performance of organisation. It can also be concluded from
above analysis that there are numerous challenges related to employing older workers that can be
removed through making changes in strategies and actions for benefit of organisation.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Gerpott, F. H., Lehmann-Willenbrock, N. and Voelpel, S. C., 2017. A phase model of
intergenerational learning in organizations. Academy of Management Learning &
Education, 16(2). pp.193-216.
Imperatori, B., 2017. Engagement and disengagement at work: Drivers and organizational
practices to sustain employee passion and performance. Springer.
Mäcken, J., 2019. Work stress among older employees in Germany: effects on health and
retirement age. PloS one. 14(2). p.e0211487.
Matveev, A., 2017. Intercultural competence in organizations. Management for Professionals.
Nilsson, K., 2018. Managers’ attitudes to their older employees: A cross-sectional
study. Work. 59(1). pp.49-58.
Rožman, M and et.al., 2019. Creating a healthy working environment for older employees as part
of social responsibility. Kybernetes.
Rožman, M., Treven, S. and Čančer, V., 2017. Motivation and Satisfaction of Employees in the
Workplace. Business systems research journal: international journal of the Society for
Advancing Business & Information Technology (BIT), 8(2). pp.14-25.
Skučienė, D. and Moskvina, J., 2019. Employers’ policies and attitudes towards the performance
of older employees in Lithuania. Business: Theory and Practice. 20. pp.476-484.
Taylor, S. and Woodhams, C. eds., 2016. Human resource management: People and
organisations. Kogan Page Publishers.