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2006 News:
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TACKLING AGE-OLD ISSUES
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September 2006
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Relay’s Positive About the Older Worker
Relay Recruitment has launched a specialist consultancy to guide employers and candidates through far-reaching legislation that completely outlaws age discrimination in recruitment, employment and training and stopping enforced retirements before 65.
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With offices across West and North Yorkshire, Premier Selection is headed by Gordon Murdoch, 56. He has researched the market, in collaboration with the CBI and Fair Cities, and devised strategies to help both employers and candidates alike maximise the opportunities offered by both the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, (enacted 1st October) and changing demographics.
It is this that makes Premier unique. Murdoch claims that while many pay lip service to ‘Age Positive’ ideals, his agency is the first to conduct intensive research into the issues, soliciting the opinions of workers and employers, then acting on the findings.
He said: “The new rules present huge opportunities. We are showing businesses how to gain competitive advantage by re-appraising policies on the recruitment and retention of older employees. We also assist individuals assess and maximise their options.”
“Not only are mature staff now protected by law, but a shrinking active workforce means they will become an ever more valuable commodity – and ever more aware of their marketability. As such, it will be vital to establish oneself as an employer of choice for this group.”
Murdoch’s career spans 30 years of Sales Management and recruitment positions across a variety of industries, including senior roles at Pace Micro Technology and headhunting for major financial institutions.
He continued, "Premier helps organisations go beyond legal compliance and increase their productivity by seriously considering older workers for key roles. Those that do embrace Age Positive thinking stand to reap great dividends, as studies have shown that over 50s are more conscientious, more productive, more punctual, more loyal and far less likely to take sick leave, post other absenteeisms or move on than younger workers.”
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Premier Selection has particular expertise in assisting middle and senior managers of all disciplines, whether currently employed or not. It offers mature players a no-obligation career audit, then representation. Firstly, they are helped to identify the best step forward, then promoted to the wide network of leading Yorkshire businesses that parent company, Relay, has worked with for many years.
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Relay group managing director, Steven Street, is enthused by the new venture, which has been in development for several years. According to him, it is the latest example of the company’s policy of anticipating the consequences of legal and societal change well before they occur, then putting in place highly efficient mechanisms to help employing organisations and workers meet the opportunities and challenges they bring.
He said: “There are many who may have suffered redundancy, enforced retirement or feel that life has more to offer than their current situation. A vast, untapped resource of experience, skills and know-how resides in these still viable workers ‘put out to grass’ or shunted into meaningless roles, purely because they were perceived as being ‘past it’.”
“Actually, though, canny employers can steal a march on their competitors by enlisting and retaining the abilities and attitudes of the 50+ age group.”
It seems, though, that much work still needs to be done to combat entrenched attitudes. Age Concern claimed recently that many companies dumped staff ahead of the legislation, while a survey by the Employers Forum on Age, in February, revealed that nearly a quarter of over 50s had faced age discrimination.
For more information on Premier Selection contact Gordon Murdoch on Telephone 01274 700475 or 07748 298005 or email gordon.murdoch@relayrecruitment.co.uk
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