The business case for hiring older workers a case study from Australia Bev ExcellDirector of Customer Service atBPrsquos European Business Service Centre

BP Business Service Centre

bull BP

minus Leading international oil and gas company brands include BP Castrol Aral

minus 80000 employees across 29 countries operating in approx 80 countries

bull Business Service Centre

minus Provides services to BPrsquos European Refining ampMarketing businesses

minus Finance

minus Customer Services

minus Operational Procurement

bull Opened in 2009

bull Already over 760 staff

minus Goal is over 1000

BPrsquos Commitment to Diversity

bull Committed to a culture of diversity and actively promotes it

bull Believe

minus valuing differences improves creativity innovation amp problem solving

minus through the strengths amp talents of different people well meet our future aspirations

bull Attract develop amp retain outstanding talent regardless of

minus background age religion ethnic origin nationality disability sexual orientation gender identity or marital status

bull Aim to ensure

minus Selection amp assessment processes are free from bias

minus Everyone has access to opportunity

Case Study ndash Attracting Mature Workers

Provides Financial Sales amp Customer Services Logistics Operational Procurement and related services to BP Australia

The starting position

bull High Turnoverbull Continued growthbull Unbalanced demographicsbull Aimed to attract mature

workersndash broader life skillsndash assist in mentoring

younger employees ndash more stable workforce

Elite Staff Turnover Trend

00

50

100

150

200

250

Series1

Series1 217 180 187 194 104 170

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Elite Headcount 2004 - 2006

239270

300

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006

Date

Nos

Percentage of Employees 45 yrs and over

13 14 15

87 86 85

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006

under 45

45 and over

Contributing Factors to Age Imbalance

bull Recruitment agencies perception

bull Unintended impact of selection criteria

bull Conditions less desirable to mature age candidates

bull Employee referrals more likely to fall into own demographic

bull Predominant use of online recruitment

bull Recruitment structure process amp tools less suited to older applicants

bull Many roles attract younger demographic

Strategies trialled

bull Ran education sessions for leaders

bull Set targets in annual business plan

bull Extended recruitment sourcing to include specialised channels

bull Organised internal promotion to increase referral rate

bull Added extra step in recruitment process

minus the inclusion of two suitable ldquomature agerdquo candidates in every short-list

bull Redesigned wording of recruitment advertisement

bull External recruitment providers advised of expectation

The General Situation in Australia

Labour Force

Business Work and Aging ndashSwinburne Institute of Technology

1048707The working age population currently grows by around 180000 people every year But trends already in place will see the working age population grow by just 175000 for the entire decade of the 2020s ndash less than a tenth of the current pacerdquo

Access Economics

Labour force participation

Labour force growth

New entrants to the labour market

Step out action

bull Recognised need to really target over 45s

bull Breach of Equal Opportunity Legislation exemption required

bull Successful application

minus Decision given as older job seekers were at a significant disadvantage

minus ldquoBeacon for other companiesrdquo

minus ldquoOpportunity for industry-led response to age discriminationrdquo

bull The best candidate would still get the job

minus Aim to widen the talent pool

minus More aggressive in recruitment strategy

The advertisement

Terrific roles for mature people

At Elite Customer Solutions our goal is always to provide excellent service Our customers are from a variety of ages and backgrounds and it makes sense that we look for people who are like that too Of course we are after the best candidates of all ages but if you are an OVER 45 JOB SEEKER we are particularly interested in you

So whether yoursquore returning t work looking for a sea-change a new challenge or already in a similar role we might just have an amazing opportunity thatrsquos perfect for you

Age is no barrier when it comes to providing service and reliability

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

BP Business Service Centre

bull BP

minus Leading international oil and gas company brands include BP Castrol Aral

minus 80000 employees across 29 countries operating in approx 80 countries

bull Business Service Centre

minus Provides services to BPrsquos European Refining ampMarketing businesses

minus Finance

minus Customer Services

minus Operational Procurement

bull Opened in 2009

bull Already over 760 staff

minus Goal is over 1000

BPrsquos Commitment to Diversity

bull Committed to a culture of diversity and actively promotes it

bull Believe

minus valuing differences improves creativity innovation amp problem solving

minus through the strengths amp talents of different people well meet our future aspirations

bull Attract develop amp retain outstanding talent regardless of

minus background age religion ethnic origin nationality disability sexual orientation gender identity or marital status

bull Aim to ensure

minus Selection amp assessment processes are free from bias

minus Everyone has access to opportunity

Case Study ndash Attracting Mature Workers

Provides Financial Sales amp Customer Services Logistics Operational Procurement and related services to BP Australia

The starting position

bull High Turnoverbull Continued growthbull Unbalanced demographicsbull Aimed to attract mature

workersndash broader life skillsndash assist in mentoring

younger employees ndash more stable workforce

Elite Staff Turnover Trend

00

50

100

150

200

250

Series1

Series1 217 180 187 194 104 170

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Elite Headcount 2004 - 2006

239270

300

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006

Date

Nos

Percentage of Employees 45 yrs and over

13 14 15

87 86 85

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006

under 45

45 and over

Contributing Factors to Age Imbalance

bull Recruitment agencies perception

bull Unintended impact of selection criteria

bull Conditions less desirable to mature age candidates

bull Employee referrals more likely to fall into own demographic

bull Predominant use of online recruitment

bull Recruitment structure process amp tools less suited to older applicants

bull Many roles attract younger demographic

Strategies trialled

bull Ran education sessions for leaders

bull Set targets in annual business plan

bull Extended recruitment sourcing to include specialised channels

bull Organised internal promotion to increase referral rate

bull Added extra step in recruitment process

minus the inclusion of two suitable ldquomature agerdquo candidates in every short-list

bull Redesigned wording of recruitment advertisement

bull External recruitment providers advised of expectation

The General Situation in Australia

Labour Force

Business Work and Aging ndashSwinburne Institute of Technology

1048707The working age population currently grows by around 180000 people every year But trends already in place will see the working age population grow by just 175000 for the entire decade of the 2020s ndash less than a tenth of the current pacerdquo

Access Economics

Labour force participation

Labour force growth

New entrants to the labour market

Step out action

bull Recognised need to really target over 45s

bull Breach of Equal Opportunity Legislation exemption required

bull Successful application

minus Decision given as older job seekers were at a significant disadvantage

minus ldquoBeacon for other companiesrdquo

minus ldquoOpportunity for industry-led response to age discriminationrdquo

bull The best candidate would still get the job

minus Aim to widen the talent pool

minus More aggressive in recruitment strategy

The advertisement

Terrific roles for mature people

At Elite Customer Solutions our goal is always to provide excellent service Our customers are from a variety of ages and backgrounds and it makes sense that we look for people who are like that too Of course we are after the best candidates of all ages but if you are an OVER 45 JOB SEEKER we are particularly interested in you

So whether yoursquore returning t work looking for a sea-change a new challenge or already in a similar role we might just have an amazing opportunity thatrsquos perfect for you

Age is no barrier when it comes to providing service and reliability

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

BPrsquos Commitment to Diversity

bull Committed to a culture of diversity and actively promotes it

bull Believe

minus valuing differences improves creativity innovation amp problem solving

minus through the strengths amp talents of different people well meet our future aspirations

bull Attract develop amp retain outstanding talent regardless of

minus background age religion ethnic origin nationality disability sexual orientation gender identity or marital status

bull Aim to ensure

minus Selection amp assessment processes are free from bias

minus Everyone has access to opportunity

Case Study ndash Attracting Mature Workers

Provides Financial Sales amp Customer Services Logistics Operational Procurement and related services to BP Australia

The starting position

bull High Turnoverbull Continued growthbull Unbalanced demographicsbull Aimed to attract mature

workersndash broader life skillsndash assist in mentoring

younger employees ndash more stable workforce

Elite Staff Turnover Trend

00

50

100

150

200

250

Series1

Series1 217 180 187 194 104 170

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Elite Headcount 2004 - 2006

239270

300

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006

Date

Nos

Percentage of Employees 45 yrs and over

13 14 15

87 86 85

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006

under 45

45 and over

Contributing Factors to Age Imbalance

bull Recruitment agencies perception

bull Unintended impact of selection criteria

bull Conditions less desirable to mature age candidates

bull Employee referrals more likely to fall into own demographic

bull Predominant use of online recruitment

bull Recruitment structure process amp tools less suited to older applicants

bull Many roles attract younger demographic

Strategies trialled

bull Ran education sessions for leaders

bull Set targets in annual business plan

bull Extended recruitment sourcing to include specialised channels

bull Organised internal promotion to increase referral rate

bull Added extra step in recruitment process

minus the inclusion of two suitable ldquomature agerdquo candidates in every short-list

bull Redesigned wording of recruitment advertisement

bull External recruitment providers advised of expectation

The General Situation in Australia

Labour Force

Business Work and Aging ndashSwinburne Institute of Technology

1048707The working age population currently grows by around 180000 people every year But trends already in place will see the working age population grow by just 175000 for the entire decade of the 2020s ndash less than a tenth of the current pacerdquo

Access Economics

Labour force participation

Labour force growth

New entrants to the labour market

Step out action

bull Recognised need to really target over 45s

bull Breach of Equal Opportunity Legislation exemption required

bull Successful application

minus Decision given as older job seekers were at a significant disadvantage

minus ldquoBeacon for other companiesrdquo

minus ldquoOpportunity for industry-led response to age discriminationrdquo

bull The best candidate would still get the job

minus Aim to widen the talent pool

minus More aggressive in recruitment strategy

The advertisement

Terrific roles for mature people

At Elite Customer Solutions our goal is always to provide excellent service Our customers are from a variety of ages and backgrounds and it makes sense that we look for people who are like that too Of course we are after the best candidates of all ages but if you are an OVER 45 JOB SEEKER we are particularly interested in you

So whether yoursquore returning t work looking for a sea-change a new challenge or already in a similar role we might just have an amazing opportunity thatrsquos perfect for you

Age is no barrier when it comes to providing service and reliability

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

Case Study ndash Attracting Mature Workers

Provides Financial Sales amp Customer Services Logistics Operational Procurement and related services to BP Australia

The starting position

bull High Turnoverbull Continued growthbull Unbalanced demographicsbull Aimed to attract mature

workersndash broader life skillsndash assist in mentoring

younger employees ndash more stable workforce

Elite Staff Turnover Trend

00

50

100

150

200

250

Series1

Series1 217 180 187 194 104 170

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Elite Headcount 2004 - 2006

239270

300

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006

Date

Nos

Percentage of Employees 45 yrs and over

13 14 15

87 86 85

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006

under 45

45 and over

Contributing Factors to Age Imbalance

bull Recruitment agencies perception

bull Unintended impact of selection criteria

bull Conditions less desirable to mature age candidates

bull Employee referrals more likely to fall into own demographic

bull Predominant use of online recruitment

bull Recruitment structure process amp tools less suited to older applicants

bull Many roles attract younger demographic

Strategies trialled

bull Ran education sessions for leaders

bull Set targets in annual business plan

bull Extended recruitment sourcing to include specialised channels

bull Organised internal promotion to increase referral rate

bull Added extra step in recruitment process

minus the inclusion of two suitable ldquomature agerdquo candidates in every short-list

bull Redesigned wording of recruitment advertisement

bull External recruitment providers advised of expectation

The General Situation in Australia

Labour Force

Business Work and Aging ndashSwinburne Institute of Technology

1048707The working age population currently grows by around 180000 people every year But trends already in place will see the working age population grow by just 175000 for the entire decade of the 2020s ndash less than a tenth of the current pacerdquo

Access Economics

Labour force participation

Labour force growth

New entrants to the labour market

Step out action

bull Recognised need to really target over 45s

bull Breach of Equal Opportunity Legislation exemption required

bull Successful application

minus Decision given as older job seekers were at a significant disadvantage

minus ldquoBeacon for other companiesrdquo

minus ldquoOpportunity for industry-led response to age discriminationrdquo

bull The best candidate would still get the job

minus Aim to widen the talent pool

minus More aggressive in recruitment strategy

The advertisement

Terrific roles for mature people

At Elite Customer Solutions our goal is always to provide excellent service Our customers are from a variety of ages and backgrounds and it makes sense that we look for people who are like that too Of course we are after the best candidates of all ages but if you are an OVER 45 JOB SEEKER we are particularly interested in you

So whether yoursquore returning t work looking for a sea-change a new challenge or already in a similar role we might just have an amazing opportunity thatrsquos perfect for you

Age is no barrier when it comes to providing service and reliability

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

Provides Financial Sales amp Customer Services Logistics Operational Procurement and related services to BP Australia

The starting position

bull High Turnoverbull Continued growthbull Unbalanced demographicsbull Aimed to attract mature

workersndash broader life skillsndash assist in mentoring

younger employees ndash more stable workforce

Elite Staff Turnover Trend

00

50

100

150

200

250

Series1

Series1 217 180 187 194 104 170

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Elite Headcount 2004 - 2006

239270

300

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006

Date

Nos

Percentage of Employees 45 yrs and over

13 14 15

87 86 85

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006

under 45

45 and over

Contributing Factors to Age Imbalance

bull Recruitment agencies perception

bull Unintended impact of selection criteria

bull Conditions less desirable to mature age candidates

bull Employee referrals more likely to fall into own demographic

bull Predominant use of online recruitment

bull Recruitment structure process amp tools less suited to older applicants

bull Many roles attract younger demographic

Strategies trialled

bull Ran education sessions for leaders

bull Set targets in annual business plan

bull Extended recruitment sourcing to include specialised channels

bull Organised internal promotion to increase referral rate

bull Added extra step in recruitment process

minus the inclusion of two suitable ldquomature agerdquo candidates in every short-list

bull Redesigned wording of recruitment advertisement

bull External recruitment providers advised of expectation

The General Situation in Australia

Labour Force

Business Work and Aging ndashSwinburne Institute of Technology

1048707The working age population currently grows by around 180000 people every year But trends already in place will see the working age population grow by just 175000 for the entire decade of the 2020s ndash less than a tenth of the current pacerdquo

Access Economics

Labour force participation

Labour force growth

New entrants to the labour market

Step out action

bull Recognised need to really target over 45s

bull Breach of Equal Opportunity Legislation exemption required

bull Successful application

minus Decision given as older job seekers were at a significant disadvantage

minus ldquoBeacon for other companiesrdquo

minus ldquoOpportunity for industry-led response to age discriminationrdquo

bull The best candidate would still get the job

minus Aim to widen the talent pool

minus More aggressive in recruitment strategy

The advertisement

Terrific roles for mature people

At Elite Customer Solutions our goal is always to provide excellent service Our customers are from a variety of ages and backgrounds and it makes sense that we look for people who are like that too Of course we are after the best candidates of all ages but if you are an OVER 45 JOB SEEKER we are particularly interested in you

So whether yoursquore returning t work looking for a sea-change a new challenge or already in a similar role we might just have an amazing opportunity thatrsquos perfect for you

Age is no barrier when it comes to providing service and reliability

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

The starting position

bull High Turnoverbull Continued growthbull Unbalanced demographicsbull Aimed to attract mature

workersndash broader life skillsndash assist in mentoring

younger employees ndash more stable workforce

Elite Staff Turnover Trend

00

50

100

150

200

250

Series1

Series1 217 180 187 194 104 170

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Elite Headcount 2004 - 2006

239270

300

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006

Date

Nos

Percentage of Employees 45 yrs and over

13 14 15

87 86 85

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006

under 45

45 and over

Contributing Factors to Age Imbalance

bull Recruitment agencies perception

bull Unintended impact of selection criteria

bull Conditions less desirable to mature age candidates

bull Employee referrals more likely to fall into own demographic

bull Predominant use of online recruitment

bull Recruitment structure process amp tools less suited to older applicants

bull Many roles attract younger demographic

Strategies trialled

bull Ran education sessions for leaders

bull Set targets in annual business plan

bull Extended recruitment sourcing to include specialised channels

bull Organised internal promotion to increase referral rate

bull Added extra step in recruitment process

minus the inclusion of two suitable ldquomature agerdquo candidates in every short-list

bull Redesigned wording of recruitment advertisement

bull External recruitment providers advised of expectation

The General Situation in Australia

Labour Force

Business Work and Aging ndashSwinburne Institute of Technology

1048707The working age population currently grows by around 180000 people every year But trends already in place will see the working age population grow by just 175000 for the entire decade of the 2020s ndash less than a tenth of the current pacerdquo

Access Economics

Labour force participation

Labour force growth

New entrants to the labour market

Step out action

bull Recognised need to really target over 45s

bull Breach of Equal Opportunity Legislation exemption required

bull Successful application

minus Decision given as older job seekers were at a significant disadvantage

minus ldquoBeacon for other companiesrdquo

minus ldquoOpportunity for industry-led response to age discriminationrdquo

bull The best candidate would still get the job

minus Aim to widen the talent pool

minus More aggressive in recruitment strategy

The advertisement

Terrific roles for mature people

At Elite Customer Solutions our goal is always to provide excellent service Our customers are from a variety of ages and backgrounds and it makes sense that we look for people who are like that too Of course we are after the best candidates of all ages but if you are an OVER 45 JOB SEEKER we are particularly interested in you

So whether yoursquore returning t work looking for a sea-change a new challenge or already in a similar role we might just have an amazing opportunity thatrsquos perfect for you

Age is no barrier when it comes to providing service and reliability

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

Contributing Factors to Age Imbalance

bull Recruitment agencies perception

bull Unintended impact of selection criteria

bull Conditions less desirable to mature age candidates

bull Employee referrals more likely to fall into own demographic

bull Predominant use of online recruitment

bull Recruitment structure process amp tools less suited to older applicants

bull Many roles attract younger demographic

Strategies trialled

bull Ran education sessions for leaders

bull Set targets in annual business plan

bull Extended recruitment sourcing to include specialised channels

bull Organised internal promotion to increase referral rate

bull Added extra step in recruitment process

minus the inclusion of two suitable ldquomature agerdquo candidates in every short-list

bull Redesigned wording of recruitment advertisement

bull External recruitment providers advised of expectation

The General Situation in Australia

Labour Force

Business Work and Aging ndashSwinburne Institute of Technology

1048707The working age population currently grows by around 180000 people every year But trends already in place will see the working age population grow by just 175000 for the entire decade of the 2020s ndash less than a tenth of the current pacerdquo

Access Economics

Labour force participation

Labour force growth

New entrants to the labour market

Step out action

bull Recognised need to really target over 45s

bull Breach of Equal Opportunity Legislation exemption required

bull Successful application

minus Decision given as older job seekers were at a significant disadvantage

minus ldquoBeacon for other companiesrdquo

minus ldquoOpportunity for industry-led response to age discriminationrdquo

bull The best candidate would still get the job

minus Aim to widen the talent pool

minus More aggressive in recruitment strategy

The advertisement

Terrific roles for mature people

At Elite Customer Solutions our goal is always to provide excellent service Our customers are from a variety of ages and backgrounds and it makes sense that we look for people who are like that too Of course we are after the best candidates of all ages but if you are an OVER 45 JOB SEEKER we are particularly interested in you

So whether yoursquore returning t work looking for a sea-change a new challenge or already in a similar role we might just have an amazing opportunity thatrsquos perfect for you

Age is no barrier when it comes to providing service and reliability

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

Strategies trialled

bull Ran education sessions for leaders

bull Set targets in annual business plan

bull Extended recruitment sourcing to include specialised channels

bull Organised internal promotion to increase referral rate

bull Added extra step in recruitment process

minus the inclusion of two suitable ldquomature agerdquo candidates in every short-list

bull Redesigned wording of recruitment advertisement

bull External recruitment providers advised of expectation

The General Situation in Australia

Labour Force

Business Work and Aging ndashSwinburne Institute of Technology

1048707The working age population currently grows by around 180000 people every year But trends already in place will see the working age population grow by just 175000 for the entire decade of the 2020s ndash less than a tenth of the current pacerdquo

Access Economics

Labour force participation

Labour force growth

New entrants to the labour market

Step out action

bull Recognised need to really target over 45s

bull Breach of Equal Opportunity Legislation exemption required

bull Successful application

minus Decision given as older job seekers were at a significant disadvantage

minus ldquoBeacon for other companiesrdquo

minus ldquoOpportunity for industry-led response to age discriminationrdquo

bull The best candidate would still get the job

minus Aim to widen the talent pool

minus More aggressive in recruitment strategy

The advertisement

Terrific roles for mature people

At Elite Customer Solutions our goal is always to provide excellent service Our customers are from a variety of ages and backgrounds and it makes sense that we look for people who are like that too Of course we are after the best candidates of all ages but if you are an OVER 45 JOB SEEKER we are particularly interested in you

So whether yoursquore returning t work looking for a sea-change a new challenge or already in a similar role we might just have an amazing opportunity thatrsquos perfect for you

Age is no barrier when it comes to providing service and reliability

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

The General Situation in Australia

Labour Force

Business Work and Aging ndashSwinburne Institute of Technology

1048707The working age population currently grows by around 180000 people every year But trends already in place will see the working age population grow by just 175000 for the entire decade of the 2020s ndash less than a tenth of the current pacerdquo

Access Economics

Labour force participation

Labour force growth

New entrants to the labour market

Step out action

bull Recognised need to really target over 45s

bull Breach of Equal Opportunity Legislation exemption required

bull Successful application

minus Decision given as older job seekers were at a significant disadvantage

minus ldquoBeacon for other companiesrdquo

minus ldquoOpportunity for industry-led response to age discriminationrdquo

bull The best candidate would still get the job

minus Aim to widen the talent pool

minus More aggressive in recruitment strategy

The advertisement

Terrific roles for mature people

At Elite Customer Solutions our goal is always to provide excellent service Our customers are from a variety of ages and backgrounds and it makes sense that we look for people who are like that too Of course we are after the best candidates of all ages but if you are an OVER 45 JOB SEEKER we are particularly interested in you

So whether yoursquore returning t work looking for a sea-change a new challenge or already in a similar role we might just have an amazing opportunity thatrsquos perfect for you

Age is no barrier when it comes to providing service and reliability

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

Labour Force

Business Work and Aging ndashSwinburne Institute of Technology

1048707The working age population currently grows by around 180000 people every year But trends already in place will see the working age population grow by just 175000 for the entire decade of the 2020s ndash less than a tenth of the current pacerdquo

Access Economics

Labour force participation

Labour force growth

New entrants to the labour market

Step out action

bull Recognised need to really target over 45s

bull Breach of Equal Opportunity Legislation exemption required

bull Successful application

minus Decision given as older job seekers were at a significant disadvantage

minus ldquoBeacon for other companiesrdquo

minus ldquoOpportunity for industry-led response to age discriminationrdquo

bull The best candidate would still get the job

minus Aim to widen the talent pool

minus More aggressive in recruitment strategy

The advertisement

Terrific roles for mature people

At Elite Customer Solutions our goal is always to provide excellent service Our customers are from a variety of ages and backgrounds and it makes sense that we look for people who are like that too Of course we are after the best candidates of all ages but if you are an OVER 45 JOB SEEKER we are particularly interested in you

So whether yoursquore returning t work looking for a sea-change a new challenge or already in a similar role we might just have an amazing opportunity thatrsquos perfect for you

Age is no barrier when it comes to providing service and reliability

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

Step out action

bull Recognised need to really target over 45s

bull Breach of Equal Opportunity Legislation exemption required

bull Successful application

minus Decision given as older job seekers were at a significant disadvantage

minus ldquoBeacon for other companiesrdquo

minus ldquoOpportunity for industry-led response to age discriminationrdquo

bull The best candidate would still get the job

minus Aim to widen the talent pool

minus More aggressive in recruitment strategy

The advertisement

Terrific roles for mature people

At Elite Customer Solutions our goal is always to provide excellent service Our customers are from a variety of ages and backgrounds and it makes sense that we look for people who are like that too Of course we are after the best candidates of all ages but if you are an OVER 45 JOB SEEKER we are particularly interested in you

So whether yoursquore returning t work looking for a sea-change a new challenge or already in a similar role we might just have an amazing opportunity thatrsquos perfect for you

Age is no barrier when it comes to providing service and reliability

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

The advertisement

Terrific roles for mature people

At Elite Customer Solutions our goal is always to provide excellent service Our customers are from a variety of ages and backgrounds and it makes sense that we look for people who are like that too Of course we are after the best candidates of all ages but if you are an OVER 45 JOB SEEKER we are particularly interested in you

So whether yoursquore returning t work looking for a sea-change a new challenge or already in a similar role we might just have an amazing opportunity thatrsquos perfect for you

Age is no barrier when it comes to providing service and reliability

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

Demographics 2009

Success - moved from 15 to 22 in 3 years

Required a change in behaviour and culture

Elite Age Spread as at 1st April 2009

76

41

297

136

81

05

1015202530354045

15 -24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55+

Age

P

opul

ation

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

Lessons ndash look for

bull Potential candidates de-selecting themselves

bull Recruitment processes not well designed for older workers

bull Often unrecognised and unintentional biases in recruiters

bull No such thing as the perfect candidate Whatrsquos most important

minus Current skills

minus Ability to learn new skills

minus How well they will fit in

minus Whether or not they have the same or similar job before

minus How long they are likely to stay

NOTE This same list applies for attributes other than age

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6

Thank you

• Slide 5
• Slide 6