Article 7 ways to support over 50s returning to work

Over 50s are returning to work. While levels aren’t quite back to pre-pandemic highs, the percentage of people aged 50 to 64 years in employment has risen in the last two decades. It’s currently 71.3%, up from 67.3% in 2013.¹

These professionals have a lot to offer, with a wealth of experience, maturity, and skills that could prove highly valuable to your business. But for those who have taken time out of work, it might have their knocked confidence in their own abilities.

By considering their specific needs, you can empower those over 50 to seize new opportunities or work confidently in their later years. From finance and technology to manufacturing, tourism and everything in between, we understand different industries may have varying factors to address to support over 50s effectively. Here are 7 suggestions that you could consider adapting for your business to help unlock their potential:

1. Flexible working opportunities
2. Challenging bias
3. Continuous learning
4. Fostering open communication
5. Tailoring your benefits package
6. Two-way mentoring
7. Make age-inclusivity a public-facing value

Supporting over 50s returning to work

In our research of 900 UK workers and 100 retirees, we found that 54% of people in their fifties who have stopped working or entered retirement feel their skills and experience are irrelevant.² This contrasts with only 15% of currently employed 50 to 59-year-olds who feel the same.²

So how can you, as an employer, best support over 50s in returning to work and to work confidently into the future?

1. Flexible working opportunities

Over 50s concerns about employment might not just be related to confidence in their skills. They might have other responsibilities they need to work around such as caring for elderly relatives, children, or grandchildren. If it’s possible for your business, responding to these needs by offering flexible working, such as remote, hybrid or part-time options, could ease the difficulties of those returning to the workplace.

2. Challenging bias

Conscious and unconscious bias can occur in the workplace or during the hiring process. Using tools like Harvard University’s Implicit Association Test (IAT) can help to identify and remove biased language or terminology from job descriptions.

Further building confidence and addressing age-related bias also requires opening up a dialogue with candidates over 50 and being adaptable to their needs. But it could also mean tackling bias in your broader organisation and creating policies that evolve with employees as they age.

3. Continuous learning

With AI and other emerging technologies developing our ways of working, your employees could have concerns about keeping their skills up to date. Providing continuous learning opportunities might be the reassurance they need to work confidently and comfortably for longer.

For example, this could include access to new technology training, leadership development programmes, and skills development. Offering personalised career development plans considers their career goals, strengths, and aspirations, and demonstrates your consideration for their future.

4. Fostering open communication

Communication is a two-way street. Build on your employees’ knowledge and experience by having regular check-ins. Create opportunities for them to ask for additional support without feeling like they’re being penalised for having to learn and adapt to new ways of working.

5. Tailoring your benefits package

You could attract more over 50s talent and demonstrate value to your existing employees by offering benefits that consider their evolving needs and responsibilities. For example, having policies in place for carer’s leave or offering health insurance. Creating health and wellness programs suited to a variety of needs like providing ergonomic workstations and health screenings, might allow people to work comfortably for longer.

In addition, the changing age of the UK’s workforce means between 75% and 80% of menopausal women are in work.³ Having policies or return-to-work plans that meet the needs of candidates who experience menopause, or other age-related conditions, could instill confidence by showing their needs have been fully considered.

6. Two-way mentoring

After taking time to transition back to the world of work, those over 50 might benefit from two-way mentoring with younger or newer employees. These partnerships can be mutually beneficial – building confidence for those returning to work while enabling them to pass on the knowledge they’ve gained from a lifetime of working. Crucially, while they’d be the senior partner in this exchange, they can learn new information and skills from their mentee, too.

7. Make age-inclusivity a public-facing value

Only an estimated 1 in 10 people aged 50-64 who are out of work are engaged in back-to-work support.⁴ If you have age-inclusive initiatives and policies, consider how you publicise these to showcase your commitment to creating a more inclusive workplace. For over 50s who might be feeling unsure, this could put them more at ease and be more confident in applying for roles at your company.

Leverage a rich talent pool and boost confidence

With life expectancy increasing, we need to be prepared for people to work longer. As businesses strive to create inclusive and diverse workplaces, recognising and harnessing the potential of the over 50s could be key to preparing your company for the future.

Addressing bias in the recruitment process, providing learning and mentoring opportunities, and offering flexible working options could be a positive start. But building confidence requires showing those over 50 that their skills and experience are valuable for businesses and helpful to the next generation. By bringing over 50s back to the workplace, you could benefit from this rich talent pool and support those working into longer life now and in the future. 

To find out more about the evolving needs of those over 50, check out our Second 50 employer infographic, or read the full report, The Second 50, Navigating a multi-stage life.