Shut Out: How employers and recruiters are overlooking the talents of over 50s workers

This is the first report in a series from Ageing Better’s Good Recruitment for Older Workers (GROW) project. This report looks at the current and future recruitment landscape for older workers. Later stages of the GROW project will explore older workers’ own experiences and the effect of language in job advertisements.

Future trends in recruitment

The ways in which employers recruit are changing rapidly, and it is important that any new trends and behaviours are inclusive to all regardless of age. Employers can demonstrate their commitment to this through inclusive branding, creating a positive candidate experience and ensuring that long-term trends, such as the increasing use of technologies like data analytics, are evaluated for their effect on diversity and inclusion.

Implications for employers and recruiters

From this summary of the existing evidence base as well as insights from interviews with employers and recruiters, we have highlighted some of the approaches that could be disadvantaging older workers as well as how these risks could be mitigated. Age-friendly recruitment would mean giving older workers a fair chance to progress and employers the opportunity to benefit from an experienced, diverse workforce – including people in mid- and later life.