Affinity Homecare Shrewsbury signs Age-friendly Employer Pledge

Affinity Homecare Shrewsbury Ltd has signed the Age-friendly Employer Pledge, a free nationwide programme launched by the Centre for Ageing Better to improve the recruitment, retention and development of older workers.

A recent poll commissioned by Ageing Better reveals the scale of ageism in the workplace and demonstrates the urgent need for action.

More than a fifth (21%) of UK adults aged 50+ indicated that since turning 50, they had regularly experienced ageist attitudes in the workplace or when applying for roles. And while approximately two thirds (64%) agreed they would feel comfortable in reporting ageist behaviour in the workplace, less than half (42%) said they would be confident any complaint would be taken seriously.

Sky-high labour and skills shortages are one of the biggest challenges facing our economy today - the latest ONS statistics revealed over one million vacancies in the final quarter of 2022-3. And with an ageing population, older workers can play a vital role in overcoming this. It has never been more important for employers to become age-friendly and take advantage of older workers’ skills and experience.

By signing the pledge, Affinity Homecare Shrewsbury Ltd is demonstrating their support to tackling ageism in the workplace and committing to taking at least one action a year to improve the way they recruit, manage and support older workers. Under the initiative, Affinity Homecare Shrewsbury LTD will also identify a senior sponsor for age-inclusion within their workforce and ensure that age is specifically named within Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies.

Over 100 employers have already signed the pledge, including Virgin Hotels, Osborne Clarke and the Department for Work and Pensions. Affinity Homecare Shrewsbury Ltd says it is proud to be joining other leading organisations in taking action to help older workers flourish in the workplace.

Affinity Homecare said it recognised the value of employing people from a diverse range of ages, backgrounds and skill sets. Many older employees have a lot of life experience, which they can share with our younger staff, coaching and mentoring them so that they can develop their skills. Many people over the age of 50 are also looking for a career change, something that provides a more meaningful purpose, as they want to give back to their communities, helping vulnerable people who need support to maintain a good quality of life.

As a Social Care employer, they can provide these opportunities, adapting the working hours to suit the individual so that they achieve the work/life balance they are seeking, which ultimately benefits them, other staff and the people they support.

Dr Carole Easton, Chief Executive at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “The pledge has been designed to support businesses to go on a journey at a pace that works for them. By taking manageable and measurable steps, employers will learn over time what steps they need to take to make the biggest difference in their own organisation.”

“The labour market is changing and employers are facing huge challenges with skills and labour shortages and near-record vacancy rates. Workers in their 50s and 60s are key to filling these gaps - now, more than ever, the older workforce is the workforce.

“And yet older workers are continuing to leave the labour market in droves. We want to help businesses understand how they can be attractive employers to older workers and reap the benefits of a multigenerational workforce.”

The Centre for Ageing Better supports the network of Age-friendly Employers by providing a full framework of actions to take alongside a range of learning resources and content to help employers make changes within their organisation. Regular newsletters share tips and guidance, while Ageing Better also host webinars where pledged employers can learn and share best practice. Organisations report back to Ageing Better on the progress of their age-friendly actions too.