Is your workplace ready for mature workers?

Description

Enterprises, are you ready to employ more mature employees in your workforce?

Here are three compelling reasons why business leaders should start looking into the question:

1.    As of 2020, one in four Singapore resident workers is aged 55 and older. By 2040, it is projected that one in two workers will be above 50 years old. 

2.    With Singapore’s quality of healthcare and standard of living, life expectancy is projected to increase even as birth rates and population growth decrease. This means that with every year, there will be fewer younger workers entering the labour force. 

3.    Mature workers come with valuable skills and rich working experiences that will benefit enterprises.

To help enterprises assess their readiness to tap on the growing pool of mature workers, IAL and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) co-developed a quick, easy tool that organisations can use to understand their current status. IAL’s expertise in workplace learning and competency development can guide and support enterprises in implementing changes arising from its use. The partnership also underscores IAL’s vital role in driving workplace and workforce transformation for enhanced business performance. 

Netatech, a local sustainable engineering and agri-tech company, is one of the early user of the tool’s prototype. Nearly one in five employees at Netatech are mature workers, many of whom have worked for more than 12 years with the company. The company is keen to retain them as these workers have built tremendous expertise and knowledge over the years. 

As their workers age, Netatech is seeing more requests for flexible work arrangements etc that will better match their current life cycle needs. The management is eager to accommodate if they know how to do so. Using the tool helped them pinpoint areas of improvement such as giving their senior workers more time off and provide more tailored medical coverage. 
 
Get ready for actionable insights!


 
The Hiring Readiness Assessment tool, as it is called, is a 40-question self-administered assessment tool which can be completed in approximately 15 minutes. The tool helps enterprises to identify gaps and strengths in their age-inclusive practices at the workplace.  It provides actionable insights, offering guidance on areas for potential enhancement, process development, and recruitment support to attract and retain mature talent.

Who should use this tool?

This tool should be used by persons who are well-informed with the HR policies and practices of the enterprise. They should have a good understanding of the enterprise’s human resource procedures, regulations, and culture so that the responses are informed and accurate. 

How does the tool work?

The assessment tool helps enterprises to evaluate its policies across eight key dimensions.

1.    Strategic alignment:  Evaluate whether the organisation’s talent management strategies reflect measures in place for a work environment that values age and experience inclusivity.

2.    Attractiveness as an employer:  Assess the organisation’s appeal to a workforce across diverse age groups.

3.    Recruitment and selection:  Evaluate measures in place for effective onboarding of employees across diverse age groups.

4.    Onboarding and training:  Evaluate measures in place for effective onboarding of employees across diverse age groups.

5.    Learning and development: Evaluate the presence of opportunities for continuous growth and skill enhancement for employees at various career stages, considering the needs of employees across diverse age groups. 

6.    Rewards and recognition:  Evaluate the acknowledgement and appreciation systems for employee contributions at various career stages across diverse age groups.

7.    Performance management:  Evaluate the fairness of performance evaluation and career advancement pathways for all employees across diverse age groups.

8.    Retention and exit management:  Evaluate the strategies to retain mature talent while ensuring smooth transitions for all employees across diverse age groups.

What follows the assessment?

The tool will guide the follow-up actions for enterprises, drawing on IAL’s expertise in designing workplace learning solutions and e2i’s capability in connecting mature PMETs with suitable job opportunities. 

For instance, enterprises can look at engaging IAL’s workplace learning consultancy, which offers up to 200 hours of support, including tailored solutions to implement inclusive workplace strategies. NTUC Training & Transformation team also provides support in helping enterprises to co-create their Operation & Technology Roadmap while e2i also administers a grant to defray job redesign costs.