AS part of National Older Workers Week Kids Planet Day Nurseries’ is reflecting on its dedication to having a balanced, diverse workforce.
Kids Planet, with 171 nurseries across the UK and a dedicated Training Academy in Knutsford, has recently signed the Age-friendly Employer Pledge, a free nationwide programme launched by the Centre for Ageing Better to improve the recruitment, retention and development of older workers.
By signing the pledge, Kids Planet is demonstrating its support for tackling ageism in the workplace and committing to taking actions to improve how they recruit, manage and support older workers. Under the initiative, Kids Planet will also identify a senior sponsor for age-inclusion within their workforce and ensure that age is specifically named within Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies.
Sarah Eyes, Recruitment Manager at Kids Planet Day Nurseries, said: “Our team is proud to announce our commitment to diversity and inclusivity by signing a pledge that demonstrates our intention to actively seek out and hire talented individuals over the age of 50. We believe that a diverse workforce, including experienced and mature professionals, brings valuable perspectives and contributes to our nurseries’ successes.”
Examples of how Kids Planet caters for and celebrates being age-friendly
- We understand that early years education and care is more than a job, it’s a fulfilling career choice. We have team members who have fruitful career journeys with Kids Planet, often from apprentices to Managers and beyond.
- With our apprenticeships, we have no age limit and make sure to promote that age is just a number, offering training to over 50s.
- As a wellbeing-focussed, family-friendly company, we are a flexible contractor and have lots of roles that may attract older applicants, like lunch cover, and supply to work whenever they desire.
- We hold monthly ‘Menopause Talks’ run by our Wellbeing Manager Lucie, where team members can openly share stories, express how they are feeling, seek any support needed and offer helpful advice. It has proved to be an invaluable support group and a safe space for people who are perimenopausal or menopausal.
A recent poll commissioned by Ageing Better reveals the scale of ageism in the workplace and demonstrates the urgent need for action. More than a fifth (21%) of UK adults aged 50+ indicated that since turning 50, they had regularly experienced ageist attitudes in the workplace or when applying for roles. And while approximately two-thirds (64%) agreed they would feel comfortable in reporting ageist behaviour in the workplace, less than half (42%) said they would be confident any complaint would be taken seriously.
Sky-high labour and skills shortages are one of the biggest challenges facing our economy today- the latest ONS statistics revealed over one million vacancies in the final quarter of 2022-3. And with an ageing population, older workers can play a vital role in overcoming this. It has never been more important for employers to become age-friendly and take advantage of older workers’ skills and experience.
