Age Friendly Employer

The framework is based on research commissioned by the Centre for Ageing better, and on the experience of leading employers. It identifies five key areas where employers can make changes to create multi-generational workforces:

1. Create and Age-Friendly culture

• Know your numbers: analyse an-age breakdown of your workforce
• Challenge stereotypes about older workers, and promote the benefits of multi-generational teams
• Listen to the experiences of your employees

2. Hire age-positively

• Write job adverts that appeal to all ages, removing language and imagery that deters older workers
• Refresh application and interview process to reduce age cues and minimise age bias

3.    Be flexible about flexible working

• Welcome flexible work for any reason, and advertise the right to request flexible working day one
• Support your line managers to manage flexible working using our toolkit
• Actively promote flexible working to workers in their 50s and 60s

4.    Encourage career development at all ages

• Take targeted action to ensure equitable take-up of training opportunities
• Provide career guidance at mid-life and beyond, including retirement planning

5.    Ensure everyone has the health support they need

• Support staff and line managers to have early and sustained conversations about health in the workplace
• Foster open conversations about menopause in the workplace, and provide adjustments if needed

• Analyse your workforce data by age
• Look at your job ads
• Welcome flexible work for any reason
• Provide a holistic ‘MOT’ to staff in mid-life and beyond
• Have open conversations about menopause at work

As an Age-Friendly Employer, we will:

• Identify a senior sponsor for age-inclusion in our workforce – and publicly state our commitment to the pledge
• Ensure that age is specifically named within our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies
• Take action to improve the recruitment, retention and development of workers aged 50+ from one of the following areas:
  • create an age-friendly culture
  • be flexible about flexible working
  • encourage career development at all ages
  • ensure everyone has the health support they need
• We will commit to take action in at least one area every year and will report back on our activities and achievements annually

Newham successfully launched its Ageing Well Strategy in 2022 to help improve the health and wellbeing of Newham residents aged 50+ and reduce health inequalities. 

The council has continued working closely with The Centre for Ageing Better, residents, a variety of Council Teams and Council partners, including the local NHS and community, faith and voluntary sector, to build an Age-Friendly culture where: 

• The importance and value of older workers is recognised
• Older workers can continue to thrive and contribute positively in Newham 
• Research shows that multigenerational workforces drive innovation and productivity

There is commitment to continue to improving work for people aged 50+ and over. This will ensure the Council and its partners deliver meaningful changes to make Newham a place where all residents and employees aged 50+ can be healthy and age well.

For more information kindly contact Gerry O'Kello via email at Gerry.OKello@newham.gov.uk

Three launch actions will happen following signing of the pledge:

A.    We will provide the following details to the Centre for Ageing Better:

• Details of the senior sponsor who will sign the pledge
• A designated officer from your organisation
• Your corporate logo
• Your organisation will then appear on the Centre for Ageing Better website as an employer that has signed the pledge

B.    You will receive and share Age-Friendly Employer information pack with colleagues across the organisation. This includes sharing the pack with key stakeholders who are currently involved including residents, Council teams and partners, the local NHS and community, faith and voluntary sector organisations, etc.

C.     Your Organisation will receive the following:

• A communications pack to help spread the message, including a logo that can be used on the website etc. to publicise the commitment to Age-Friendly Employer status
• Regular newsletters with tips, guidance and inspirations
• Invitation to peer calls and webinars, to learn from other employers to help your organisation move forward on Age-Friendly journey
• A follow up call at six and twelve monthly to check on progress and to share the actions that your organisation is taking 

Newham is one of the fastest growing, youngest and most diverse borough in London with a population of over 351,000.

Because of its large young population, it is important we consider the needs of people over 50 years old, as well as of the young population.

The Ageing Well Strategy was a one-council approach to re-address this imbalance. 

Our Ageing Well Strategy launched last year (2022) is aimed at helping to improve the health and wellbeing of residents aged 50+, whilst also reducing health inequalities. The council is now delivering our ambitious Corporate Plan ‘Building a Fairer Newham’.

Following the launch of our strategy, the Council obtained Age-Friendly Community Status and this provided us the opportunity to be part of the global network of age-friendly cities and communities in steering our work in building a fairer Newham.

Following the launch of Newham Council's Ageing Well Strategy, the Council was awarded Age-Friendly Community status via the Centre for Ageing Better - joining the World Health Organisation’s global network of age-friendly cities and communities.

Age-Friendly Community Status requires political commitment from each organisation. From day one, Newham has worked and received excellent support from The Centre for Ageing Better.

This has helped to strengthen our political commitment and led to Newham successfully becoming and Age-Friendly Employer. Through the Centre for Ageing Better, we can access the wealth of support and library of information on the subject and more, Newham is able to share and participate in all events, e.g. weekly UK network peer call meetings facilitated by Centre for Ageing better where colleagues across the country join in to share and learn from each other.

Colleagues from the Centre for Ageing Better are available and happy to support with any such questions/issues on the subject.

Following the launch of our strategy, the Council wanted to show commitment to older residents, make improvements in current offer. Hence obtained Age-Friendly Community Status and this provided us the opportunity to be part of the World health Organisation global network of age-friendly cities and communities in steering our work in building a fairer Newham. Since the launch of the Strategy, the council has worked with its partners and the residents to address the things that residents said mattered most which helped to improve the current offer. The council has also signed up to be an age-friendly employer.

Earlier last year (2023), Newham was nominated for the Local Government Chronicles award for the work they are doing on Age Friendly Communities. This was a nice surprise and Newham is continuing to work and learn from the global network of age-friendly cities and communities.

In September (2023), Newham was the second local authority in the country to sign up as an Age-Friendly Employer.

Age-Friendly status demonstrates Newham that recognises the importance of and values its older employees and is committed to supporting them flourish in a multigenerational workforce - retaining them and continuing to benefit from their wealth of skills and experience. This will also help Newham to lead by example by encouraging other local employers to apply for Age-Friendly status. 

On the 8th October last year (2023), over 400 residents aged 50+, community organisations and partners joined Newham to celebrate and mark their first year of Age-Friendly Communities Status. This event coincided with the International Day of Older People. The residents enjoyed a lot of activities; health checks including flu and other vaccinations, information and advice on a range of topics, food and music etc. 

Also, as part of the Council’s pledge to be an Age-Friendly Employer, on the 7th November 2023, Newham successfully hosted a big council wide staff engagement event. On the day staff benefited from a range of activities; health checks including flu and other vaccinations, information and advice on a range of topics including retirement/pensions, cost of living, food and music, etc.

Sign the pledge now to start your journey to becoming an age friendly employer.