GSR2R, a London-based provider of recruitment to recruitment solutions, have commented on the news that recruiters have to do more to inform businesses of the benefits of employing older workers.

As the number of older people in employment rises, recruiters are being called on to do more to encourage their clients to highlight why employing them is beneficial, according to a panel of industry experts at Global Recruiter’s conference in London, hosted by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC).

It was highlighted that come 2020, one in three workers in the UK would be aged 50 or over. Attendees were also told that while older workers are less likely than others to be made redundant, in cases where they do lose their job they’re statistically more likely to end up unemployed for the long term.

Chair of the diversity and inclusion forum for REC, Sarah Gordon, believes that older workers can add “a huge amount of value” to businesses. She said: “There is a lot of unconscious bias out there so it is having that awareness and putting coping mechanisms in place to do our best to eliminate it as an industry. There is an appetite out there from clients. Obviously, there are some clients who are not aware they are discriminating. It is our role to educate as well.”

Catherine Finney of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said: “There seems to be a barrier when it comes to getting [older] people back into work, which seems counter intuitive when they have got all this experience and all these skills.

“I’m not saying older workers shouldn’t want career advancement but they are not necessarily in that same phase of their careers as a young worker.”

GSR2R are a rec-to-rec company who often give their thoughts on news and research related to their industry. They agree that more encouragement is needed to help older people find work.

A representative for GSR2R said: “We definitely agree that recruiters should be doing more to underline to clients the benefits that come with employing older workers. Increasing work place diversity is something all employers should be striving towards. Having a good mix of people not only reflects well on your company but it also helps you to work smarter, giving you a fresh perspective. In that respect, employing a diverse range of people is absolutely invaluable.”

GSR2R are based in London, England and specialise in recruitment to recruitment in a number of key markets. The company was established in July 2001 and has a large and growing team of vibrant and professional individuals who can help you to find the very best recruiters. For rec-to-rec help, visit www.gsr2r.com today.