Despite small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) overwhelmingly understanding the benefits of employing older workers – with their experience being particularly valued along with their ability to mentor more junior members of the workforce – most feel that the recruitment process discriminates against older workers.

This is causing half of those polled to admit to already struggling to recruit the talent they need or to foresee problems in the future. The larger the business, the bigger the concern becomes.

The figures were obtained from the latest independent research of 933 UK SMEs commissioned by Close Brothers Asset Finance and conducted by Lightspeed, a specialist research firm, in September 2019.

“Our research has found that in recruitment there is the sense that it’s not currently a level playing field between the generations, with 66% of SME business owners of the view that the process favours younger workers,” said Neil Davies, CEO, Close Brothers Asset Finance.

Source - Read More at: welfareweekly.com