People Dynamics Newsletter - People Matters
Issue 32, October 2007 | Back to Newsletters Index
News
Earlier this month Laura attended a two day conference offered by the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI). The conference focused on motivation and retention of staff and effective utilisation of assets. If you would like further information on speakers or issues covered at the conference, please contact us and we will be happy to forward copies of the presentations to you.
Australia’s Ageing Workforce
Did you know that our brain power doesn’t peak until we are in our 50’s and 60’s?
Workforce ageing is an established trend across developed countries, including Australia. As such, to effectively resource talent requirements, companies are increasingly reliant on attracting and retaining older workers.
Until now, recruitment and training has largely been targeted towards the younger market segment but in recent times there has been a shift in thinking as employment market conditions change.
A recent case study conducted by Ernst & Young and the Office of Training and Tertiary Education found that older job seekers often feel they won’t be taken seriously as candidates, and don’t have a realistic chance of getting the job. This is often driven by advertisements selling a ‘young, vibrant’ environment, or by a fear of new technology.
This illustrates the need to constantly rethink the way we attract candidates. The way recruitment has been done in the past will need to be adapted to meet the needs of a changing environment. Organisations need to ensure that they are doing all they can to attract a diverse range of candidates and not alienating older workers.
The study also focused on the training of older workers, particularly when it comes to IT training. It was found that once the initial fear was beaten with early success in the training, and the benefits of IT knowledge outside of the workplace were sold, then people engaged with the training and ended up enjoying it.
It is also important to recognize the wealth of knowledge and experience that older workers bring, and focusing on what they know, not what they don’t.
People Dynamics offers courses in making the most of generational differences in the workplace. Please contact the office if you would like more details on 9510 3740.
Energy Saving Tips
Is your office energy efficient? Here are a few useful tips to reduce energy consumption:
Turn off screen savers: Screen savers which project images use more energy than a work screen. Blank screensavers or switching off the monitor are an energy efficient alternative.