WHO ARE THE TOP AGE-FRIENDLY EMPLOYERS?

There are a number of sources that tell us which organisations are ‘age-friendly’. We’ve asked ChatGPT to refine the list and give us the weblinks for the careers pages for the organisations it predicts will be recruiting actively in the next 1-2 years. 

We’ve included links to their careers pages but a word of warning – if the pages link you out to jobs boards like Indeed, Reed, LinkedIn, we’d like you to understand age data is not collected. Why does that matter? When we’ve asked these organisation to transparently share how many people in their 30s get called to interview vs those in their 50s, they don’t know because it’s not data they need to track. 

Our anecdotal feedback from our members leads us to believe (but we can’t prove without data) that very few people get through job application processes on these sites, so where possible, we urge you to use routes such as:

• Applying directly to organisations where the recruitment work is not outsourced.
• Contacting the recruiting manager and asking how applications are screened.
• Connecting with those in your network who might work at these organisations.
• See if they advertise on age-friendly jobs boards (e.g. WorkingWise, 55/Redefined, Rest Less).

Here is ChatGPT’s recommendations for age-friendly employers likely to be recruiting over the next 1-2 years:

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• Aviva Careers: Explore opportunities at Aviva, a company that offers a variety of roles in the insurance sector here.
• B&Q Careers: Find job openings at B&Q, a leading DIY and home improvement retailer here.
• National Express Careers: Look into driving, engineering, operations, and customer service roles at National Express here.
• Sainsbury’s Careers: Check out retail, logistics, and corporate function jobs at Sainsbury’s here.
• Barclays Careers: Discover a range of finance and technology roles available at Barclays here.
• Lloyds Banking Group Careers: Search for jobs in customer-focused roles, tech and transformation, and specialist functions at Lloyds Banking Group here.
• Siemens Careers: Siemens offers roles in engineering, technology, and innovation. Find out more here.
• Whitbread Careers: Whitbread, known for brands like Premier Inn and Beefeater, has various hospitality roles available here.

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Where to cross reference with jobs being advertised:

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1. The Centre for Ageing Better (a UK charity conducting research into ageing) has a free to sign up age-friendly employer’s pledge. There are more than 250 listed.  This doesn't necessarily mean they have open vacancies, but they are making a public declaration that they are mindful of age and want to be working positively to support an ageing workforce. The Centre for Ageing Better don't screen or evaluate their recruitment processes - this is simply a list of organisations who want to be more age positive.

2. You can cross reference this with the JobsRedefined list of employers who pay (and it could therefore be argued put their money where their mouth is) to be evaluated for being age inclusive. To be on this list, organisations have paid to have their recruitment processes evaluated for bias and they’ve undergone some basic awareness level training.

3. WorkingWise is another recruitment firm with an age-friendly jobs board and charter.  They are the founding organisation for National Older Workers Week, which has run for a number of years now. Their sponsors clearly want to appeal to older workers. What we like about WorkingWise is that the jobs board is manageable. Jobs are not ‘scraped’ from other sites (in other words, if you see a job on WorkingWise, it is because an organisation has met with them to specifically discuss a role which they feel would suit someone aged over 45). 

4. These organisations have taken the time to come and speak to Brave Starts members to educate them about the jobs they recruit for, what they typically entail, what they are looking for, what expectations to have, and why they are positive about employees either changing/transitioning/transforming their career or completely restarting:

• Bikeability (flexible working – as little as 1-2 days a week teaching students how to ride bikes)
• Turner and Townsend (large infrastructure and engineering consultancy)
• Citizens Advice
• Inspired Villages (the retirement village sector)
• NAHL (National Accident Helpline)
• Probation Service (part of the Ministry of Justice)  
• VIA (homeless charity)
• The Metropolitan Police
• Senior Response (a call centre)
• The Wildlife Trusts
• Evolution Partners (boutique finance consultancy)

The broader list in alphabetical order:

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• Age UK

• Arqiva

• Atos

• B&Q

• Boots UK

• British Gas

• Cantab Corporate Health

• Carers UK

• CIPD

• Clugston Group

• Corbin & King

• Department for Transport

• Domestic & General

• East & Central Sutherland Citizens Advice Bureau Ltd

• Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (enei)

• Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)

• Forster Communications

• HCR

• Home Instead Tavistock and Tamar Valley

• Impellam

• Independent Assessment Services (IAS)

• Ipsos

• Ixion Group

• Jaguar Land Rover

• Johnson and Johnson

• Landmarc

• Linklaters 

• Macc Learn Plus Us

• Marsh

• Marstons

• McDonalds

• Midlife360

• Mitchell & Murdoch Care Ltd

• My Homecare (Yorkshire)

• Nationwide

• Now Teach

• OVO

• Optimum Care Group

• People 1st

• Phoenix Group

• Punter Southall Aspire

• RSPCA

• Royal Air Force

• Royal London

• Saga

• Skipton Building Society

• Sodexo UK and Ireland

• Special Bar Service Ltd

• Steelite International

• Synectics Solutions

• The Co-operative Group

• The Humber Bridge Board

• Time Warner

• Trade Union Congress (TUC)

• University of Strathclyde

• Whitbread (Costa, Premier Inn, Beefeater, and more)

• Women and Theatre Limited

We are not a jobs board or recruitment business. We provide space for employers to come and talk to people about jobs so that our members are clearer on their next steps and are better informed about a job they may wish to apply for. If you are actively recruiting and would like another space to talk about your organisation with a professional audience, speak to Lucy@bravestarts.com 

Disclaimer: we have had no involvement with the organisations listed above. This list has been compiled from several sources of publicly available information. 

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