Bosses told to give older workers a go

New Zealand's current skills shortage could be eased by retaining people in the labour market past retirement, says Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Judy McGregor.

She said many employees aged 65 and older would stay on at work with the right encouragement, but some employers would have to change their thinking and overcome negative stereotypes about the value of mature workers.

"Some older workers want flexibility, not just in hours of work per week but consideration of three-day weeks or several months on and several months off during the year.

"Some employers are not creative enough in their thinking about retention of skills.

"Older workers then retire when we need greater labour market participation and productivity."

Dr McGregor said the Government should pay more attention to helping businesses to keep older workers.

"Retention incentives such as piloting of phased retirement, negotiated transitions, less conventional part-time and flexible work arrangements and newer ways of working, need active consideration in policy and practice."

Unions also had to face up to the challenge of pushing harder for continuous training of workers who were likely to spend longer in paid employment, she said.

The Human Rights Commission this week published an edited collection that celebrates the value of older workers in New Zealand.

The book features 13 New Zealanders aged in their 70s, 80s and 90s who have worked past the traditional retirement age in occupations such as boat-building, research science, art, teaching, truancy prevention, book dealing and conservation.

"The fall of the unemployment rate to 3.7 per cent, close to a 20-year low, means that employers have to be more creative about wooing those considering retirement to stay on in the labour market, particularly when the proportion of New Zealanders over 65 years will double to 26 per cent in 2051," Dr McGregor said.

Too many older job-seekers also reported that they felt discriminated against when applying for new jobs.

Professional men in their 50s and 60s were particularly vulnerable when they lost a job and tried to find work at the same level of status and pay.

"The recruitment industry needs to be sure that it is not engaging in either covert or overt ageism on behalf of clients," she said.

"Inquiries that are made to the Human Rights Commission by older workers often suggest that recruitment agencies are biased against older people applying for jobs, even though the bias is subtle and hard to challenge."

- NZPA