Our Covid-19 support work with employers has highlighted a worrying risk – the evolution of two-tier workplaces, split into flex haves and have-nots. We all need to take action to make sure this doesn’t continue.
The work we do here at Timewise can be summed up in one short sentence: Making good jobs flexible, and making flexible jobs good.
But over the last five months, while we’ve been delivering our free Covid-19 support programme to hundreds of organisations and employees, we have noticed a worrying trend that affects both parts of this story.
Firstly, as many organisations fight to stay in business, and hang on to as many of their employees as they can, there’s a risk that work will become more flexible but less ‘good’. Flexible work done badly is counterproductive; instead of helping employees reduce or have more control over their time, it can lead to extreme working hours and blurred boundaries.
This is bad news for everyone, but particularly affects women and people with caring or other responsibilities. It has been exacerbated during the pandemic by complications around childcare, with many being forced to quit their jobs. And for those who are able to stay and renegotiate their hours, there’s an increased risk of getting trapped in roles with reduced opportunities for progression.
The Scottish government was serious about improving access to fair flexible working long before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Recognising the role that flex can play in tackling inequality, and keen to help employers attract and keep talented people, they commissioned a Flexible Jobs Index for Scotland in 2017, and subsequently asked us to explore how to improve access to flexible work.
And now, as Scottish organisations look to recalibrate their workplaces in response to the pandemic, the government is stepping up their support – and has asked us to work with them to do so. The result is our Fair Flexible Work programme, which launches in Scotland this month.
It’s now widely agreed that flexible working benefits employers as well as employees. There’s a strong social case for it, as a way of opening up the jobs market for vulnerable groups, including parents, carers and those with mental and physical health issues. And the business case, including the pivotal role flex plays in attracting and retaining a diverse talent pool, and closing the gender pay gap, is no longer in doubt.
However, despite the benefits, there are still too few quality flexible jobs available; the 2017 Flexible Jobs Index for Scotland noted that just 11.9% of vacancies paying more than £20,000 FTE referenced part-time or flexible working. With 87% of the UK’s workforce either having or wanting flexibility in their next job, there’s a clear gap here, which employers who want to recruit the best people need to close.
Within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, improving access to flexible working is all the more critical. On the plus side, the crisis has ripped up the rulebook on what ‘normal’ work looks like, and opened up opportunities for change. Leaders and managers have learned that they can trust their employees to work from home without damaging productivity. 40% of medium to large employers have said they will permanently increase remote working options, and 13 million people plan to ask for permanent flexible working arrangements going forward.
But as well as these opportunities, the pandemic has created some serious risks, for employers and for employees. The impact on the economy and the rise in unemployment are creating huge challenges; between May and July, Scotland’s unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, a higher rate than that of the UK as a whole. And while the increased acceptance of flexible working is great for those who can take advantage of it, it’s just not possible in some sectors.
Frontline roles, such as those of the NHS staff and retail employees who were so appreciated during the crisis, cannot easily be made flexible. So if we don’t take action, we will end up with a two-tier system in which only those who work in an office-based environment can access the benefits of flex. And the knock-on effect of this will be to increase workplace inequality, and deny flexibility to some of the people who need it most.
For all of these reasons, our new Fair Flexible Work programme is happening at the perfect time. A three-stage, eight-month programme, it will provide employers in Scotland with the knowledge, insights and tools they need to take advantage of the opportunities that flexible working delivers, and stops the risks becoming realities.
The first stage of the programme will take place in October, and will see us providing a series of webinars, guidance and toolkits for hundreds of employers across Scotland. Through these platforms, we will share our insights and experience on how to adapt to the crisis, and offer practical support with creating and delivering sustainable flexible roles.
We will also be working with a range of Scottish industry bodies, including the CIPD, the CBI , Scottish Enterprise and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, to create a network of Fair Flexible Work Change Agents, so they can better support their employer members to embrace new ways of working. This will include training on the job design, culture change and team management skills that support flexible workers and create flexible workplaces.
And finally, in the spring of 2021, we will publish a new Flexible Jobs Index for Scotland. This will assess the proportion of flexibly advertised roles across different wage brackets and sectors, and will also use pre- and post-pandemic data to see whether Covid-19 has shifted the dial on flexible recruitment.
There’s no question that this is a large-scale programme of work, and it’s one which we will relish, not least because the outcome is so worthwhile. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape working practices across the whole of Scotland, to help employees have fair access to flexible work and to help organisations skill up and take action on flex that will make them employers of choice. We can’t wait to get started.
Published October 2020
The coming of the multi-generational workplace has long been anticipated – and, according to the numbers, it’s arrived. One in three of today’s workers are aged over 50, and that proportion is set to rise; many people plan to work longer, either because they want to or need to. And employers can benefit from the skills and experience that they bring to their roles.
But despite the growth in numbers, the individual implications of ageing, and how they play out in the workplace, are not always understood or explicitly recognised. And nor is how the ageing process affects what an individual needs or wants from their job role.
So how can we make sure that employees continue to be supported, and valued, as they grow in age? According to the over 50s themselves, here is one workplace practice above all others that would allow them to work successfully for longer: flexible working. And as we all grapple with the long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, this issue is all the more relevant.
Over 50s are likely to be more vulnerable to the virus than their younger counterparts; many also have caring responsibilities which make the ‘return to normal’ more complex. So making sure that these older workers have flexible working options is now more important than ever.
It’s for this reason that we partnered with the Centre for Ageing Better, and a range of employers, to explore how best to support older workers with flexible working.
We carried out research to understand their reasons for wanting to work flexibly and identify the barriers that were standing in the way. We also ran pilots with two employers to explore new ways to overcome them; you can download the full report here.
By Emma Stewart, Co-Founder, Timewise
It’s no secret that the teaching profession, is struggling to recruit and retain the teachers it needs. Pre-Covid-19 data indicated that targets for the required number of secondary school trainees had been missed for the last seven years, and that 33% of state school NQTs leave within five years. And although the pandemic appears to have triggered a spike in graduate teacher training applications, it’s not yet clear whether this will last – or be enough to bridge the gap.
While it isn’t the only factor behind the teaching brain drain, the lack of flexible teaching roles compared to other sectors is likely to play a part. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that some teachers leave the profession because they can’t access flexible working; and that many secondary school teachers who do leave reduce their hours when they do so.
In fairness, it’s true that teaching roles are not easy to make flexible; there are a range of barriers, such as timetabling, budget constraints and the student-facing nature of the role, which are all complex to overcome. However, we believe that no sector is un-flexable; we specifically set up our Innovation Unit to tackle these hard-to-fix sectors, and show what can be done.
So, on that basis, and following on from our 2019 report on building flexibility into schools, we are launching a new action research project for the teaching sector. Working in partnership with three large multi-academy Trusts (MATs) and supported by education specialists Talent Architects, we’ll start by exploring the barriers in more depth, as well as building on the insights that these schools gained during Covid-19, and seeing what positive experiences can be taken forward. We’ll then use our learnings to design flexible roles that work around or overcome these barriers, and pilot them within schools.
The project, which is being supported by Barclays Life Skills and Browne Jacobson LLP, will last a year; we’ll post updates about what we’re learning along the way, as well as a full final report. In the meantime, if you’d like some initial inspiration, take a look at our case study of a school with a hugely successful track record in this area, Huntington School in York, where more than half of teachers work part-time.
Right now, though, schools like Huntington are in the minority, and they are having to work it out for themselves. It’s our hope that this project will deliver a clear roadmap for schools for designing and delivering flexible teaching roles, so that wherever they are, whatever their size, they can attract and keep teachers by offering the flexibility they need and want.
Published September 2020
It’s becoming clear that, when the workplace gets back to ‘normal’, it won’t look like it did before. The crisis has challenged the concept of the office being the best place to work. And employees in all kinds of roles, whether office-based, frontline or elsewhere, have seen for themselves the benefits of working flexibly or reducing their hours.
The knock-on effect of this is an increase in demand for permanent flexibility. A recent survey suggested that 13 million people plan to request changes to their long-term pattern once the crisis has subsided.
Is this something employers should fear? On the contrary, we believe this is a catalyst that will change workplaces for the better. And so instead of worrying about opening the floodgates, leaders and managers should see this as an opportunity to be proactive, and encourage their staff to explore their options in a way that will work for the business.
It’s for this reason that we’ve created a free toolkit for employees, Beyond lockdown: How to negotiate flexible working, for the long-term . It’s part of our free Covid-19 support programme, and will help individuals understand the different flexible working options, explore which best match their role, and think through the impact on their team and the wider organisation.
Sharing this toolkit with your employees will help them consider the issues and potential solutions before they bring their request to their managers, which should lead to really positive conversations. It will also encourage them to ask for a flexible working pattern that benefits the business as well as themselves.
And critically, being proactive about offering this support will demonstrate that you’re a forward-looking, proactive employer who puts staff wellbeing at the heart of your strategy. In the post-Covid landscape, where organisations may be judged on their response to the crisis, that’s a powerful position to be in.
Our free Covid-19 programme is supported by Barclays LifeSkills and Trust for London.
Published June 2021
There’s no question that Covid-19 has ripped up the rulebook on what normal work looks like. Whole organisations and sectors, including those that have previously been considered ‘un-flexable’, are now discovering what’s possible.
And while remote working is just one aspect of flexible working, what we’re seeing is a huge mindset change. 13 million people plan to ask for permanent flexible working arrangements once lockdown is lifted. Twitter have announced that their staff can work from home ‘forever’ if they wish. 40% of medium to large employers have suggested they will permanently increase remote working options.
A once in a lifetime opportunity to transform the way we work
It is becoming clear that forward looking organisations, who want to be seen as employers of choice, can’t afford not to develop their flexible working offer. But there’s a big difference between offering remote working at speed, and delivering sustainable flexible working.
Most organisations are still in the first phase, managing the remote working experiment as best they can. But it’s now time for leaders to start thinking about the second phase, to use what they have learned to develop truly flexible workplaces. And we are here to help bridge that gap.
From crisis to opportunity: our free Covid-19 support programme
At Timewise, developing sustainable flexible working solutions is what we do. We do it for organisations and sectors of all shapes and sizes, and we do it exceptionally well. So as Covid-19 took hold, we rolled up our sleeves and worked out a plan to help employers and their staff turn this crisis into an opportunity.
The result is From crisis to opportunity: redesigning the workplace, a free Covid-19 support programme for organisations and their staff. The programme includes a series of webinars for key organisations and sectors, and practical support for groups such as line managers, with more to come. You can find out more about the programme on our bespoke Covid-19 support page.
An important part of the programme, which is supported by Barclays LifeSkillls and Trust for London, will be capturing the learnings from this time and sharing them for the benefit of all. And that sits at the heart of how we work.
Why this matters – now more than ever
As a social business, all our work is underpinned by our central mission: to create fairer workplaces in which individuals can get the flexibility they need without compromising their value in the jobs market. We believe that getting this much-discussed ‘new normal’ right is will only happen if flex and fairness are built in. Here’s what we, as a society, need to do if we’re to make this happen:
If we don’t act carefully, some key groups, such as those who are juggling work and care, will miss out. Research from the IFS has shown that working mothers are bearing the brunt of the caring and homeschooling responsibilities, and the gap between mothers’ and fathers’ work patterns has grown since the crisis began. There’s a real risk that more working mothers may drop out of the workplace unless properly designed flexible roles (and not just juggling from home) are offered to all.
The Covid-19 crisis has rightly seen a growing appreciation of frontline workers, from NHS staff to retail employees. It’s important as we go forward with flex to remember that not everyone works in an office, and those who don’t are just as entitled to, and in need of, flexible working.
At Timewise, we specialise in tackling sectors which are hard to make flexible, with recent projects focusing on construction, nursing and teaching. This kind of work needs to continue more widely, to ensure that those who have protected us during Covid-19 are protected in return with fair working practices.
There have been some great examples of human leadership during the crisis, such as CEOs talking to staff about how lockdown has affected their mental health, leaders showing by example that it’s OK if your kids come on the Zoom call and managers empowering their teams to work at times that suit them. This open, positive attitude needs to continue, with bosses creating and delivering cultures in which flexible working is properly implemented, supported and celebrated.
Dishing out a laptop and a Zoom account is a short-term fix, not a long-term strategy. Designing truly flexible roles involves looking at where, when and how much work needs to be done, and it isn’t something you just know; line managers need to be taught how to do it. Our Covid-19 support programme includes a free introductory line manager’s toolkit; we also offer more bespoke training as part of our consultancy package.
Finally, creating flexible jobs isn’t enough. We also need to make sure they are advertised as such when companies start rehiring post-crisis, particularly as many of the people who have lost their jobs will need flexibility in any role they return to. It’s not just good for employees either; a recent study showed that employers who advertised their jobs as flexible saw a 30% uplift in applications.
We’ll be tracking the jobs market through our annual Flexible Jobs Index, with a particular focus on the post-Covid-19 landscape and the impact of this global remote working experiment.
If we come together and make all this happen, we really will have turned the crisis into an opportunity; for fairer workplaces, for more equal teams and households, for better mental and physical health. It’s going to take a lot of work – and will need industry and government support and funding – but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that’s here for the taking.
Published June 2020
The current crisis has been described as ‘full-time work meeting full-time life’; a remote working experiment that we’re all having to work through. So how are employers supporting their employees during Covid-19 – and what should they do next?
We recently co-hosted a session for Timewise Partners, in which we explored how different companies are managing the status quo, and provided a mixture of short-term practical guidance and long-term issues to consider. Here are the highlights.
Among the insights we shared with our partners were these snapshots of workplace life during Covid-19:
Our attendees shared a number of examples of good practice from their organisations. These included:
Leadership and management
Changes to processes
Information and resources
Mental health and wellbeing
Planning ahead
We also shared four core principles to help employers take the right next steps to support their employees:
(1) Think about WHAT people are doing
Assess what work needs doing, right now. Set priorities, new objectives and expectations for what needs to be done, before working out how to do it differently. Recognise the backdrop to people’s current working lives and consider the balance between the business’ needs and individuals’ needs.
(2) Think about WHERE people are working and how to support them
Consider providing enhanced broadband or a proper office chair. Create space for collaboration and engagement such as virtual team meetings and remote cafes, and check in on anyone who goes under the radar. Note what’s working and what isn’t to ensure you take the best examples with you into the long term.
(3) Think about WHEN work needs to be done and how that matches with people’s needs
Some people may be splitting childcare with a partner and so may need to have blocks of time off. Others may need to get ahead at the weekend to allow more breaks in the week. Build a framework that looks at your organisation’s needs and each individual’s needs to identify working patterns that will suit both parties.
(4) Think about HOW MUCH work needs doing and can be managed at the current time
Some employers need staff to reduce their hours to save costs; some employees need to work less to juggle their other commitments. In order to make this work, leaders need to either reduce the workload or find alternative resource. Expecting people to do the same work in less time isn’t a sustainable option.
We also shared our thoughts on the opportunities and risks coming out of Covid-19 and what employers need to do to mitigate the negatives and make the most of the positives.
As the situation continues, we’re keen to gather and share more stories about what’s working and what’s not, so more businesses are able to come out of Covid-19 into a more flexible future. If you have any insights to share, or need support from the Timewise team, do please get in touch.
Published April 2020
By Kevin Green, Interim Chair, Timewise Executive Board
It’s becoming increasingly clear that many of us will be working from home for a significant period of time. It’s also likely that many managers will be leading a completely remote team for the first time.
This situation was no doubt thrust on both parties with little time to think, talk or prepare for this new way of working. And it will call for managers to operate very differently.
We know that the way we engage and communicate with each other when people physically work together is often informal. Great managers understand their people, and can pick up on changes by observing both individual and team behaviour. However, both of these become much more challenging as people work from home or remotely.
But there is a massive, positive opportunity here. 80% of people who work remotely say that if it’s done well, their engagement and morale improves; and 62% say they feel more trusted. This is therefore an opportunity to be grasped.
Here are my six top tips to help you support and inspire your remote team.
In times of crisis and change, people look to their managers and leaders to provide clarity, support, guidance and direction. True leaders will step forward, recognising the importance of their role. And they will start by reinforcing why the work the team does is important.
The more this work is aligned to a compelling purpose, the better, as this creates meaning. Leaders who are good at this get their people excited about what they are doing and why it’s important. They need to walk the talk and be visible and available to their teams, but they also need to demonstrate energy and the ability to make tough or difficult calls.
A leader’s true values will be thoroughly tested under pressure. After all, it’s relatively easy to live your values when times are good. But when success and results hang in the balance, an authentic leader will demonstrate what they are prepared to sacrifice and the trade-offs they are willing to make. Leadership is about putting your team first and yourself second.
It’s important to set clear expectations about this new way of working. This includes your expectations of people’s availability and accountability as well as how often team and one-to-one conversations will take place.
My advice is to do generic scene-setting with the whole team so they all hear it together at the same time. Make sure there is plenty of time for questions, and remember to ask for ideas. How can we make this work together?
Then, have a one-to-one conversation with each member of the team about their specific deliverables, what you expect of them and by when. Clarity is important, but so is giving people the space and opportunity to share ideas, ask questions and explore the issues; it avoids misunderstanding and difficulty later. So don’t rush the process.
Team communication is an important part of a leader’s role in any circumstances; but when everyone is working remotely, it becomes critical. So you need to recognise that you should spend more time talking, listening and engaging with your people –it’s important people feel connected.
First, if at all possible, use video rather than conference calls. If you can’t, use conference calls rather than the dreaded email, which has so much potential there is for misunderstanding. The opportunity to use video is a godsend in the current situation, and is so much easier today thanks to tools such as Zoom, Skype and Google Hangouts.
Over 60% of communication is non-verbal, so seeing people as they talk enables you to pick up on these signs. Keep the team communicating as a whole. Continue with regular team meetings; indeed, to support this new way of working, you may want to increase their frequency –perhaps starting with twice or three times per week. This will help people get comfortable and allow them to test how it works for them.
Make sure you allow time for small talk, too; people may be feeling isolated or even lonely after several days with little social contact. A good way of doing this is to get everyone to check in (say how they feel at the moment) at the start of the meeting.
It’s also a good idea to carry on doing creative and brainstorming sessions with the team, asking for ideas or solving problems together, This will enable your team to feel connected and that they are making a collective contribution.
One-to-ones must continue and, as with general team meetings, you may want to do them a little more regularly to start with. Ask lots of questions to find out what’s going on for each individual. Share agendas in advance, and make sure you know what you’re going to be covering.
Preparation is even more important for conversations over the phone or video, as they tend to be shorter and more business-focused. Listen actively to what’s being said and try to avoid assumptions and talking over other people. Ask questions to clarify what’s meant, so you’re not talking at crossed purposes.
It’s important to foster friendships among the people that work for you. Apart from formal calls and meetings, encourage your people to have informal calls with each other to help them stay connected. We know that people feel more engaged and passionate about their work if they have workplace confidants and supporters. This may disappear during remote working if it’s not encouraged.
People go to their work friends when they need help or want to celebrate or commiserate about workplace things. In the absence of that support, work can feel lonely and isolating, and lacking attachment. However much we like what we do, we won’t be fully energised or motivated if we don’t have close and supportive relationships at work.
A study by Harvard Business Review showed that remote workers are far more likely than on-site employees to worry that co-workers say bad things behind their backs, make changes to projects without telling them in advance, lobby against them and don’t fight for their priorities. Be a leader who encourages a culture of open positive friendships among co-workers — this will avoid these concerns becoming a reality.
Be responsive and available to your team. Set aside time in your calendar when you’re happy to be contacted, so your team know they can catch up with you on anything.
One thing that really makes people feel distant is the communication time-lag. If they have to wait hours for a response to something they are working on, or an idea they have, whether it’s right or wrong, people feel it’s not important to their manager.
By setting time aside where you’re available online or over the phone to provide feedback or insight instantly helps people feel recognised and listened to.
Many of the things I’ve proposed here will feel unnatural to start with. But if you persist, then there is no reason why your team shouldn’t be as productive, creative and energised as if they were on-site together. In fact, you may even find that they perform better and deliver better results working this way. From adversity comes opportunities; let’s grasp them.
Published April 2020
One of the most visible examples of the impact of coronavirus on the workplace is the growth of remote working. And as we’re flexible working specialists, you’d imagine we’d be delighted. But while it’s great to see companies adapting to the need to work together while apart, it’s time to take stock of where we are – and where we might end up. Are all the changes we’re seeing for the better – and will they last?
It’s certainly true that there are a number of positives coming out of the crisis. On a societal level, as an organisation who has been working to support work-life balance for nursing staff, we feel the outpouring of appreciation for NHS employees is long overdue. And we sincerely hope that their value, and that of other frontline workers such as teachers, retail staff, government employees and carers, who are putting themselves at risk for all our sakes, continues to be respected and rewarded once the crisis is over.
Additionally, on a practical level, this enforced experiment in remote working has overturned some long-held objections to remote working, creating real opportunities to change the narrative:
It’s our hope that, as a result, the reasons traditionally given for not allowing remote working just won’t wash. And so the debate can move on from whether it should be used to how to make it work – and the focus onto practical solutions such as job design and culture change.
However, there are also some ways in which the impact of coronavirus is more negative. For example:
And of course, we also need to beware the assumption that this is a temporary response to Covid-19, and that everything will go back to normal once the restrictions are lifted. Despite the pitfalls outlined above, I very much hope that isn’t the case.
Indeed, I’d argue that there is no normal to go back to. I believe that some of the more positive experiences caused by the impact of the coronavirus – avoiding the commute, spending more time with family and being able to work at times that suit us – will encourage employees to push for greater flexible working. And forward-looking employers will need to incorporate it as part of their offer.
If that’s the case, what should employers do to set the right tone, right now? Here are three good ways to start:
Here at Timewise, we’re already exploring the best way to turn the impact of coronavirus into a positive force for change. We’re creating a programme of webinars, training sessions, toolkits and advice for employers, with two core aims:
It’s a challenging time right now; no question. But it’s also an opportunity to change workplaces for the better, for good. If you’d like to know more about the programme we’re building, or need support with any of the issues I’ve noted here, do please get in touch.
Published April 2020
By Muriel Tersago, Principal Consultant, Timewise
Following government restrictions to limit the spread of the coronavirus, employers in all sectors are working through the implications for their business and their employees. There’s a lot of useful advice out there on topics such as supporting employees to work from home or how to run virtual meetings. But one group which is easy to overlook is older workers, typically defined as those over 50.
There are a number of reasons why this demographic need bespoke support, and a number of steps you can take as an employer to provide it, both in the current crisis and beyond. Here we set out the key points for you to think about.
In the short term, employers need to make sure that their older workers are being considered in any strategic or operational decisions that are made:
(1) Recognise the particular circumstances of this group
While many older workers are in good health, some do develop health conditions as they age, which might make them more vulnerable to coronavirus. They may also have caring responsibilities for high-risk elderly relatives. Critically, they may be unwilling to ask for help.
Suggested actions:
Line managers should proactively seek one-to-ones with older reports to discuss their needs and concerns, and explore adapting their work to fit.
HR could set up company-wide social networks for older workers, and sign-post to websites offering advice and information on relevant issues.
(2) Consider how employee contract decisions affect this group
Many employers are facing difficult decisions around reducing staff hours and redundancies. They are also having to understand and share information about the government’s financial support packages.
Some older workers, who are approaching retirement, may need to think carefully about how any changes to their working hours and employee status could impact their pensions, and other employee benefits such as healthcare cover.
Suggested actions:
It may take HR teams time to work through the implications of these issues and for leaders to decide on their preferred course of action. So, in addition to issuing a general holding statement, it is worth reassuring older workers that you understand their specific concerns.
(3) Be proactive about providing tech support
Although older workers are likely to be comfortable with the technology they use at work, some may be less familiar with the platforms and apps that support remote working.
Suggested actions:
Don’t assume that everyone is up to speed with existing or new technology. Provide clear and friendly one-page guidance documents before using a new platform, encourage people to practise, and invite questions.
How-to tips are often best provided by peers within a team, rather than a more formal conversation with the IT helpdesk. Consider setting up IT buddies, or appointing a ‘tech guru’ in the team who can help others.
(4) Seek their input on remote and flexible working
Flexible working can be used very successfully to help older workers ease into retirement. The changes brought about by the coronavirus mean we are all working differently and there is an opportunity to understand and share learnings from different groups, including older workers.
Suggested actions:
As a minimum, line managers should be checking in with all colleagues about how they are adjusting to any new patterns on a day-to-day level.
The next step is to take a more strategic look at its impact on individual roles, to evaluate what is working well and what could be done better. Exploring this specifically with older workers could help HR create a flexible pathway into retirement.
(5) Encourage staff to use downtime for personal or career planning
On a similar note, it could be worth encouraging older workers to use any downtime to reflect on their next steps, both inside and outside of work. The change of pace and environment offers an unusual opportunity for people to consider their options as they start looking towards retirement.
Suggested actions:
HR could provide guidelines and tools for individuals. The Centre for Ageing Better has developed a midlife MOT framework which provides a structure and ideas on what to consider.
HR or training departments may also want to alert employees to any training opportunities which are available.
It will be important to handle this issue sensitively, however, so older workers don’t fear they will be first in line for redundancy consultations.
It’s widely accepted that society will be different after coronavirus has passed. This will be reflected both in the workplace as a whole, and for specific groups of employees.
Here are five issues, which will impact older workers, to consider when you begin your post-pandemic planning.
It is also important to remember that, as Patrick Thomson from the Centre for Ageing Better recently noted, there are many over-50s working on the frontline right now, for whom remote working is not a possibility. These include care workers and NHS and retail employees, as well as people working in local government and education, who are keeping things running for the rest of us.
And when we exit this crisis, we need to ensure that we value these roles properly, and enable the older workers who are delivering them to have some say over how flexibly they work. It will be our duty to protect their well-being and living standards in future, as they are protecting us now.
If you would like support or information on any of the topics covered above, please contact Timewise or the Centre for Ageing Better.
Timewise and the Centre for Ageing Better ran an 18-month programme with employers including Guys’ and St Thomas’ Trust, and Legal & General, exploring how to support over-50s to access the benefits of flexible working. The full report was published in 2020
Published April 2020
