Older Workers Research using the Workplace Employment Relations Survey (WERS)

The Minister for Pensions will be launching an employer driven national strategy on Fuller Working Lives. It is crucial we develop a strong understanding of (i) The link between employer policies and practices, and the employment of older workers in order to identify, promote and potentially implement evidence backed policies to recruit and retain older workers in the workplace. (ii) the impact of older workers on workplace performance to effectively engage with employers The Fuller Working Lives Background Evidence Review considered a number of data sources (including the Labour Force Survey) and a wide range of external research pieces to bring together the current evidence base related to older workers. The evidence base is largely descriptive and focuses on the reasons that older workers fall out of the labour market and the barriers they face in regaining employment. There are clear gaps around ‘what works’ to keep older workers in work and the benefits to employers in retaining and recruiting older workers. Understanding these questions should bring a step change to the evidence base for Fuller Working Lives (FWL). In particular this research should enhance the evidence on the role of employers and impacts of older workers and has great potential to inform policy direction in this area to improve productivity and contribute to full employment.