Mature employees 'good for business', says UK survey

Most employers believe having mature people in their workforce is good for business because they were more loyal and reliable, according to a new report today.

Most UK employers believe having mature people in their workforce is good for business because they were more loyal and reliable, according to a new report today.

A survey of 2,600 British employers by employment law firm Peninsula found that four out of five supported the view that younger workers benefited from having older colleagues.

Most of those polled regarded older workers as a benefit to their company, and two thirds had seen an increase in the number of mature people on their payroll.

Peter Done, managing director of Peninsula said: "Employers are now seeing through the stereotypical views associated with age. Mature workers are now viewed as a credit to the workforce rather than a hindrance.

"Where previously employers have held ageist concerns about these workers, such as them not having relevant computer skills that are now essential in the workplace, they are now finding that these worries are no longer a problem.

"Bogus sickness in the workplace has been high on employers' agendas for some time and those recruiting more mature employees have found this employment strategy helps to combat this problem.

"Older employees are less likely to be absent from work claiming bogus sickness when in fact the time off is needed to cure a hangover from the night before which is often the case within a younger age bracket."