Forties People

Tesco introduced a Working Beyond Retirement Policy, having listened to a number of staff that were reaching retirement age and did not want to give up work.

Scotguide, a small tour and guide business, find that older workers are particularly adept at communicating with customers. There is no official retirement policy and every one is encouraged to work as long as they want. The only condition for continued employment is the ability and competence to do the job satisfactorily.

Wrap Film Systems is a medium sized manufacturing company that has removed its mandatory retirement age. Ages within the workforce range from 18 to 78. Promotion and progression are entirely based on merit and ability regardless of age. Competence, dismissal and disciplinary policies are carried out regardless of age. The company associates improved productivity linked to better morale arising from the change in their retirement age policy.

BT allow employees to remain with the company longer, and see this as having a positive affect. They introduced a new approach called NewStart, which changes people’s expectations about retiring early. Flexible options for gradual retirement include:

• Wind Down - part-time working, job share
• Step Down - regrading to a job with lower responsibilities
• Time Out - phased sabbaticals
• Ease Down - reduction in hours or responsibility
• Helping Hands - secondments

  Shaw Homes Housing Association know that the Welsh labour market for nurses and care staff is very tight. They found that offering flexibility in their work and retirement practices plays an important part in their ability to attract and retain staff, including older workers. On reaching state pension age, staff may choose to:

   

• continue working the same hours as previously;
• reduce their hours;
• join the 'staff-bank' scheme operated by individual homes, whereby staff are occasionally asked to work at mutually convenient times;
• or retire.

  HBOS, the large employer in the financial sector, has removed its mandatory retirement age. The trade unions welcomed their more flexible approach to retirement. The company associates ‘definite savings’ from the change in their mandatory retirement age policy, arising from reduced recruitment and training costs.