When I transitioned into the role of a career coach a few years ago, my main area of speciality was career advance and development for those over 50 years old. That was because I was one and had I known that there was a ‘me’ available, I may have saved myself about 18 months.
What I now find interesting is that the UK Government are quite ‘anxious’ about the ‘over 50’s because tens of thousands of over 50’s left the workplace during and after covid….and are doing nothing. Not working, not claiming any form of benefit.
We can’t know exactly why and I would suggest a number of reasons, including reflection, not feeling valued, not doing something they’re passionate about or were fortunate enough to decide to do nothing as their financial situation supported this.
An article in ‘The Sun’ newspaper yesterday suggested that employers and job centres could be encouraged to help older people find a more manageable career, such as part-time work. They would even be encouraged to “give back” to society by doing community work, which is a bit patronising in my opinion.
It’s said in the article that “more than 20 per cent of under-65 working-age Brits neither have a job or are looking to get one”.
I know so many people that left employment and have started their own enterprise, which I would suggest accounts for many of these cases. Unless something changes and more employers look at the silver workforce, this trend will continue and the gap will remain almost impossible to close.
I looked into it further and found this article on the ONS )Office for National Statistics) website
If you left the workplace without seeking another ‘job’, what did you decide to do?
I’ve helped many in their career advance and development and find myself wanting to scream at the UK Government, ‘too little, too late’.
Recent Comments