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Changing workforce demographics are set to cause issues for employers in the future. With an aging population and more young people coming into work, how can employers adapt their recruitment strategies to cope with demands for new ways of thinking and working?

Making sense of demographics

The UK’s population is both growing and ageing and an understanding of how this will impact recruitment, both from an employer’s and an employee’s perspective, is key to ensuring that your recruitment strategies are future-proofed.

The UK population now stands at over 67 million people and, according to the ONS, it’s projected to reach 70 million by 2026. It’s also an ageing population, with 9.2 million or almost 20% of people aged over 65 – this number is set to increase to 27% by 2072. It’s estimated that around 1.43 million people aged 65 or over are currently working.

At the other end of the spectrum is Gen Z – people born between 1997 and 2012 making the eldest in this cohort around 27 years of age and the youngest 12. Statista estimates that there are around 12.7 million Gen Zeders in the UK, with approximately 4.3 million (around one-third) of them being employed – that’s around 6% of the UK population.

Developing a recruitment strategy that suits both these demographics can seem like an impossible task, given the disparities in aspirations and skillsets. However, with a little careful planning and smart management, businesses can draw on both these cohorts, bringing out the best of their capabilities and reducing recruitment pressure. Understanding what these two disparate groups want can help develop strategies to attract and retain them.

What do Gen Z want?

The first ‘digital natives’, Gen Z expect job adverts, application processes and communications to be seamlessly online as well as speedy. They’re also the most ethical group in the workforce and are looking for employers whose values reflect their desire for inclusion, social responsibility and sustainability. Gen Zeders are ambitious and want clear career progression paths open to them – they’re not afraid of moving on if they don’t get the advancement they require. They also expect to have their skills developed to enable them to progress, so they look for organisations that offer mentoring and opportunities for personal development. Having had their lives disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, they also welcome the opportunity of hybrid working, allowing them to interact with colleagues at a time that suits them. Finally, they want a good work/life balance, enabling them to focus on life outside of work.

What do older workers want?

Currently, the State Pension age is 66 but that’s set to rise to 67 after 2026. This extended working life reflects our increasing life spans and generally improved health in older age. Older people, many of whom have worked for 40+ years, have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share and they want employers to recognise that. They look for opportunities to mentor younger colleagues and pass on their skills but they also want to develop their own skills through professional development so look for employers that will offer them that. They too want an inclusive workplace – especially one that doesn’t discriminate against older workers and the health issues they may face. They want job security (for which they’ll offer loyalty), as well as challenging and stimulating work. And finally, they want flexibility in their employment to accommodate any caring responsibilities they may have, to phase in retirement or to acknowledge any age-related health challenges they have.

Strategies that work

It’s clear that many of the workplace wants of both Gen Z and older workers overlap. Currently, many businesses’ recruitment strategies are focused on a variety of challenges including finding appropriately-skilled candidates, meeting salary expectations in a cost-of-living crisis, and filling vacant roles in the minimum time possible. However, in order to achieve these goals there are several additional strategies that they can employ to attract workers from both ends of the age spectrum.

• Create an inclusive workforce – by proactively encouraging and including people of differing ages to apply for roles within an organisation businesses can spread their talent net as wide as possible
• Use skills-based hiring – prioritising candidates’ skills and experience, such as a willingness to learn and problem-solving skills, over traditional ‘markers’ such as formal qualifications and length of career gives employers a wider talent pool to draw from, reduces unconscious bias and enhances performance and productivity
• Offer flexible working – as we’ve already seen, both Gen Z and older workers want the opportunity to work flexibly, whether that’s for health/caring reasons or to have a better work/life balance. Businesses that offer such arrangements appeal to a wider range of talent and find that it both boosts job satisfaction and increases productivity, particularly with the growth in popularity of the gig economy.

The workplace has rarely faced so many challenges, and businesses must now adapt their recruitment strategies and workforce management to cater to the spectrum of different demographic groups that play a vital part in the UK’s economy.

For more advice and support in widening your demographic reach in the Driving, Industrial, NHS, Commercial or Utilities sectors contact TaskMaster.