A mature attitude towards the workforce

22 September, 2016

Growing numbers of employers are adapting their premises in order to accommodate an ageing workforce and this is a trend that is set to grow significantly over the coming years, according to workplace equipment supplier Slingsby. One in four UK workers is now aged over 50 and by 2030 the number of people in the UK who are over the age of 65 is expected to have risen by 50 per cent. In addition, the number of people over the age of 85 will have doubled. This recently resulted in futurologist Rohit Talwar, who helps businesses look at how the world will look in the future, predicting that children born today could work until they are 100, and live to be 120.

Dominic Slingsby, operations director at Slingsby, which supplies more than 35,000 workplace products across all industries, commented: “Older workers can bring a lot of benefits into the workplace and as the population ages, it stands to reason that people will continue to work for longer. However, it’s often necessary for employers to adapt their premises or buy specific products and equipment in order to accommodate older workers and they may need to ensure their health & safety policies and risk assessments are relevant to these workers. Although assumptions shouldn’t be made about workers’ capabilities solely because of their age, it is important to consider every individual’s physical capabilities, as well as any mobility issues, in relation to their job role.”

Dominic Slingsby added that obvious areas where the company has seen many organisations investing include furniture and chairs, which might be designed to be ergonomic and offer high levels of support. In addition, he explains that safety footwear can become even more important for older workers in order to reduce the risks of slips and trips as far as possible. The company also sells specialist handling equipment that is specifically designed so that it requires very little effort from the operator.

Slingsby has compiled a list of key considerations that are particularly relevant to organisations that employ an ageing workforce:

* Carry out risk assessments routinely for employees.

* Where relevant, incorporate tasks into workstations that require the employee to change positions frequently.

* Design workstations so that arms remain below shoulder level and avoid repetitive motions that require workers to reach above their head.

* Try to reduce the amount of physical force that workers need to exert in manual handling operations.

* Restrict maximum loads that workers are required to lift or introduce equipment to ease the process.

* Offer job sharing or part-time schedules for workers.

* Don't immediately assume that certain jobs are too demanding for certain workers. Decisions should be based on capability and objective risk rather than age.

‘Our workers are our most valuable asset’ is a mantra often quoted by companies or all sizes and disciplines. Therefore, catering for the specific needs of each and every member of the workforce has to be a top priority.

Ed Holden

Editor