Employers are looking for the right talent in younger workers
23 January 2018
Acas talks about the skills shortage that businesses are predicted to endure in conjunction with the demographic change to the UK labour market.
In 2015 the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) warned of a 'demographic time bomb' that will see the UK face serious skills shortages by 2035 unless employers change their approach to workforce planning.
The CIPD said that something needs to be done to ensure that the hole left by retiring workers (as much as 30% of the UK workforce by 2035) can be adequately filled and urged organisations across all sectors to take steps to reap the benefits of a more age diverse workforce, rather than fall victim to a mass exodus of skills as their workforce ages.
According to Acas, as time passes this is yet to be proven inaccurate and therefore employers are focusing on the differing needs of a multi-generational workforce and looking for the right talent in younger workers.
Acas has a variety of guides to help employers to get the best from their younger workers, including:
- Age and the workplace – all about putting the Equality Act 2010 and the removal of the default retirement age (DRA) 2011 into practice
- Guidance for employing young workers - to help employers manage and support apprentices and young workers with advice about how to help them with the transition from education to the world of work
- Apprenticeships and the Apprenticeship Levy
- Young people myths from the HSE (Health and Safety Executive)