Older workers become more ‘attractive’
More than half a million workers around the country are aged 63 years or older, and make up the fastestgrowing sector of the working population, according to new data. The MyCareer Employment Forecast, released last Friday (4 May 2012), predicts the number of mature-aged workers will rise to 750,000 by the year 2020.
More than half a million workers around the country are aged 63 years or older, and make up the fastest growing sector of the working population, according to new data.
The MyCareer Employment Forecast, released last Friday (4 May 2012), predicts the number of mature-aged workers will rise to 750,000 by the year 2020 as older Australians remain in, or re-enter, the workforce.
“There’s an appreciation that these workers often have decades of skills, and they tend to be fairly loyal as well. So they are quite an attractive proposition,” the report’s author, Michael Emerson, told AAP.
He added, while there remained some resistance by employers to taking on older workers, the data showed resistance was declining.
“This really started as a result of skills shortages and low unemployment,” he said, adding a change was emerging.
According to Mr Emerson, employers were starting to realise employing older workers was a “good way” to maintain their workforces.
The 63-plus segment, which MyCareer labelled twilighters, had doubled in size over the past 15 years.
“The population is getting older all the time, and people’s expectations of their lifestyle are lifting,” he said.
With superannuation savings low for many older people, working was the only option to obtain that lifestyle, Mr Emerson said.
The federal government supports employment of mature-aged workers, in April announcing a $1,000 Jobs Bonus scheme for employers who recruit and retain a mature-age job seeker.
