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.