age diversityThe Age Diversity Forum enables client organisations to leverage the value of multigenerational human capital by providing:

  • Organisational leaders with insights into why multigenerational workforces matter and the value they generate (Insight)

  • Diagnostic approaches to enable individual organisations to understand their age diversity ‘health’ (Health & Well-being)

  • Tools and techniques for shifting the dial on age diversity ‘health’, from individual awareness training to strategic HR planning (Tools)

  • Holistic approaches for attitudinal and cultural change towards ‘age’ in order to shift organisational mindsets (Transformation)

  • Mechanisms for measuring the value and impact of any change interventions (Value)

  • On-going research into the opportunities and challenges that multigenerational workforces present and how to leverage or tackle more effectively (Research)

We exist in the recognition that for a number of demand and supply related reasons people will need to stay in the workforce for longer meaning that for the foreseeable future any organisation will typically have at least five generations working together. (Reality)

We also lobby government and trade bodies to influence policy, attitudes and language in this key area of human capital. (Influence)

As it is for LGBT, gender and BAME, it is wrong, unjust and illegal to discriminate against age. Join our Champion advocacy and achieve the values and benefits of an age diverse work-force for your organisation, and you will be making a difference to address the global age diversity challenges.

Champion Age Diversity !

The Forum is the global hub for age diversity in the work-place, and is a practical approach to ensure that organisations achieve the benefits and values of an age diverse work-force.

The business case for diversity is more prominent, but unfortunately, there continues to be challenges in breaking down barriers of age bias in the employment arena. Whether that is in the form of: negative bias, unconscious or otherwise; a lack of opportunity for employers to access key skills and talent; poor retention and retraining programmes; or for policy support requirements. The Champion membership can support and drive strategy and values for all organisations.

No industry sector is immune to these challenges, and none are restricted by geography. We are a unique organisation with a vision for inclusion, to remove barriers through an application of practical service and best practice, achieved together with our ‘Champions’.

Become an Age Diversity Champion

Become a ‘Champion’ and use the members badge to demonstrate your awareness and understanding of the values of implementing an age diverse workforce.

For D&I Teams it provides a strategic tool and a vehicle to align to your inclusion and development programmes, whilst for HR departments, it will add benefit and value to your existing retention, re-deployment and recruiting practice.

Many businesses and organisations are now planning their strategies for sustainability and growth, considering a full and balanced view of the resource market, that includes: recruitment without bias, across all age groups; and a plan that is structured with training and development opportunities for all employees.

Use your Champions Charter membership to support your Diversity and Inclusion outlook, and contribute to your corporate and social responsibility programmes.

It’s not just the ‘right thing to do’

When companies began jumping on the diversity and inclusion (D&I) bandwagon en masse in the late 80s and early 90s, it seemed a natural extension of affirmative action and equal opportunity programs. Over time, company D&I slogans moved from diversity being the “right thing to do” to diversity “being good for business.” Company leaders began to recognize the importance of creating an employee culture that reflected their customer base and community. And, while age has been a protected category since the passage of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) in 1967, it has not, generally speaking, been at the forefront of D&I strategy.

champion age diversityWhile D&I programs have moved the needle in the significant areas of race, gender and sexual orientation, ageism has been relegated to the side-lines. As a result, age prejudice has seeped into the workplace. Due in part to implicit bias, where the offender is not aware of the offense; for example, a younger worker implying than an older worker works at a slower pace. Implicit bias perpetuates “age myths” in the workplace. “As it turns out, there is a lot of research on older workers’ attitudes, productivity and ability,” according to Vantage. “The data looks at many different variables, but all comes to the same conclusion – virtually all of the stereotypes about the older workers do not hold up to reality.”

Now, older workers are calling attention to ageism in hiring, promotions, development opportunities and redundancy. Most significant, the effects of ageism are felt by everyone across all races, genders and sexual orientation.

Why? Because aging is the one thing we all share, but that’s also an advantage for organisations, as giving consideration to age diversity, provides for a total intersectional view across all D&I streams, across the whole workforce.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, older workers represent the largest candidate pool in the workplace. And to correlate with the increase in older workers is an increase in reports of age discrimination according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in some cases complaints have nearly doubled.

While some industries (such as tech) skew toward an under 40 workforce, the reality is that there are many benefits for recruiting, hiring and retaining older workers.

Here are seven of them:

  1. Overlooked Talent Pool.Picking is ripe in the pool of qualified candidates with years of experience under their belts. If you need talent and someone who can pass the knowledge baton, this talent pool is where you want to look.
  2. Varied experiences. The youngest boomers, for example, have been in the working world for about 35 years. In many cases, that means a variety of career experiences across a broad scope of opportunity brings a lot to the table. Older workers typically have an array of skills that includes specialties as well as generalizations. Ask a typical boomer how many versions of their resume they have to understand the breadth of their experience. Ask them for years of service in a particular field to understand depth. Both add value.
  3. Stay longer. Data shows that older workers tend to stay longer with their employer. If you want to lower your turnover rate while increasing the level of experience this is a good way to do it.
  4. Flexible learning styles. Older workers have already experienced profound changes in their working world–from typewriters to word processors to everything digital. They have learned via classroom and online. Their flexibility and adaptability keep them in the game because change is the status quo and they know it.
  5. Shorter learning curve. Given their comfort with change and flexible learning styles, older workers adapt quickly to change, and that means learning anything related to business success–even (gasp) technology. As this TechRepublic report states, older workers are less stressed about using technology than younger people.
  6. Add valuable perspective.Diverse teams yield better decisions as this study suggests. Including age as a diversity component lays the foundation for a rich exchange of information.
  7. Motivated to work. Older workers are motivated to work for a variety of reasons, including the desire to stay in the game, share their knowledge and skills to make a positive impact and pad their retirement so as not to become a financial burden to the children. Doesn’t every company covet a motivated employee who is willing to go above and beyond?

There is, of course, another reason to consider making ageism an important D&I area of focus. Routinely eliminating workers over 40 from your workforce and avoiding them as potential hires is discrimination. For an example of companies doing right, this article highlights a few organizations that have stepped up their game to be fully inclusive of employees–age included.

Focusing on ageism as a true strategic component of any D&I initiative requires some catching up. “There is a lot more talk in business circles about the human capital value of older workers, but we’re still in early innings,” said Paul Irving, chairman of the Center for the Future of Aging at the Milken Institute. “It takes time for things to percolate.”

You will see from our ‘News & Views’ section that together with our own content and information, we invite external contributions, and the above piece came from Sheila Callaham, who wrote this for Forbes.  Sheila is an author and longtime communications professional with experience in newspaper, public affairs, and corporate storytelling. After spending over a decade managing diversity and inclusion for a major pharmaceutical company, Sheila resigned to spend more time with family, write, and coach others to chase their dreams. Sheila is part of our mission to promote a productive, multi-generational workforce,  and to demonstrate how such an environment can lead to happier, healthier, and higher-skilled employees.

A ‘Postcard’ from The Age Diversity Forum

Please see the short video clip below, Age Diversity for Knowledge transfer, this is the latest in our ‘Postcard’ series, highlighting the values and benefits of an age diverse workforce. We will showcase a new ‘Postcard’ from The Age Diversity Forum each week, so please check back again, and for more information, please contact us at [email protected].

#championagediversity

“an age diverse workforce can lead to happier, healthier, and higher-skilled employees” 

#ChampionAgeDiversity

#championagediversity

is Hybrid-Working the new norm?

Hybrid Working is a new term, emerging from the COVID pandemic, when business was forced to find new ways of working. Although most Governments stepped in with financial packages, there is no substitute for ‘trading’ and those organisations that could adapt have had the best chance of survival.

The likes of Zoom and Teams have become staple elements of working practice, but as we transition from lockdowns and restrictions, there is now the question of what does best practice look like?

Is the new new norm, simply a return to the old norm…or do we seek to maintain the pandemic practices that have emerged?

#championagediversityWe see organisations, who, pre-pandemic, had no remote working at all, now just reviewing whether to revert. And we see organisations that, before lockdowns, already had some form of hot-desking in place, now reviewing whether they need that real estate at all.

With all these changing demands, there is of course the inclusion discussion, not just for legally protected groups, but for the most vulnerable in other ways too. Who has the opportunity and capacity to change their work patterns, and is it introducing more inequalities?

And within that discussion is the age agenda….and such, that perhaps, rather uniquely, it is holding more of a priority than some of its peer D&I streams?

There is a number of data that shows an adverse impact to employment as a result of the pandemic, with older workers, unfortunately once again, being at the top end of that spectrum. But with younger generations also feeling the effects, we now see conflicting arguments about who is best placed or most willing to adapt to hybrid working adjustments.

This is such an important phase of global economic development and social value, and at the Age Diversity Forum, we have completed inaugural research with participants from all sectors and locations around the world.

To access the first report, please email [email protected]

#ChampionAgeDiversity

INCLUSIVE SUPPORT

Following a global health crisis, now a cost of living challenge across the globe is affecting all points of society and business. At such a time it is perhaps more important to ensure we consider all parts of our society and population, particularly the protected characteristics that form the diversity and inclusion agenda.

Age is one of those characteristics that is regularly overlooked, but it is crucial to ensure that employers have consideration and practices that provide for the safety and well-being of all staff, as well as seeking a sustainable business route.

Our focus is towards age diversity in the workplace, and as the current situation requires consideration for a whole range of social, community…as well as business areas, it’s important to stay informed on policy and best practice.

We  provide a range of service and support for business and individuals. Our information and provision services are here to help, and for whatever your need, we’ll do what we can to listen and help, and/or signpost you in the right direction.

To seek further information, please always use our main contact address: [email protected]

#championagediversity

Here’s a range of information to aid your consideration to benefit from the values of an age diverse workforce.

For a range of our latest news and views, please access our ‘open’ area here.

Champion Age DiversityThe ‘Champion’ Intro pack – click the image to the right, to see how being a ‘Champion’ can give a range of service and provision that gives value across all areas of your organisation and external partners.

We have a range of infographics to demonstrate the values and benefits of an age diverse workforce. Take a look at ‘Gains through Diversity’ to see that it’s not just the right thing to do, there is a powerful business case that means it’s a business imperative.

Our CEO, Steve Anderson, was moved to write a blog about social attitudes and behaviours needed in the current crisis, Read ‘Instinctive Culture’ here, which carries the strong “Don’t walk by” message.

#championagediversityWe welcome your contact via our main address: [email protected], but we also have facilities to provide a ‘face-to-face’ video conference. Please let us know if you would like to arrange such a call and we can send out the invites to you and colleagues.

At times like these, it’s possible to re-instil strong values of diversity and inclusion, and to showcase your corporate and social responsibilities to your immediate workforce, as well as the communities and customers you serve. It’s also a good time to reinforce standards and relationships with your external partners and supply chains, to ensure that in these challenging times, we all work together for the positive good.

The Age Diversity Forum is an outreach partner for the IoC, and our CEO, Steve Anderson sits on the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board. The IoC mission is to break down barriers to digital learning and employment, with learning as a lifelong process where everyone has a right to improve their skills.

In addition to the IoC’s contribution, the platform offers a range of courses at all levels, from introductory to advanced, which were chosen in consultation with leading industry businesses and educational experts. The programme is open to everyone, whether they have recently been furloughed and want to learn new skills, are out of work and looking to build up their CV, or if they’re just keen to keep their mind healthy and busy during time spent at home. Focussing on the skills many employers need the most, The Skills Toolkit is a first step towards recovery, helping to boost the nation’s growth and productivity.

 

 

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