Making friends, helping people

• Involve colleagues in a Diversity Working Group to ensure you really understand different people’s needs 
• Formalise informal policies so that everyone understands their rights 
• Consider how small changes to benefits can make a big difference to some people 

“We’ve always seen ourselves as an accessible employer and have consistently employed and retained staff from a wide range of age groups and backgrounds,” says Jane. “Our membership base is predominantly aged 50 and over, and we are conscious of the need to represent them in everything we do, including within the make-up of our workforce.

“We set up the Diversity Working Group by inviting volunteers from each department to join, and were glad to find this led to the group becoming diverse itself. About two-in-five of its members are aged 50 or over, roughly in line with the proportion among our employees. The Group meets regularly to discuss issues relating to age inclusion as well as disability and caring responsibilities. Some of the initiatives we have put in place as a result include: 

• Establishing a menopause policy 
• Anonymising CVs for job applications 
• Diversifying our recruitment consultants 
• Upgrading our office space to make it more accessible to those with reduced mobility 
• Producing documents with larger print for people with sight impairment 

“We have also formalised our established processes. For example, whilst consideration was always given to people needing time off to care for family members – an ever-increasing issue for those with ageing parents – we wanted to ensure this was codified as a clear right. Our policy is to allow employees a few hours off whenever they need it for this purpose, without their having to take it as annual leave.  

“Training is open to everyone, regardless of age – and that’s true for career development opportunities too. We currently have six individuals over 50 years old on role-related training programmes. Anyone who requests relevant training is considered and more often than not approved to take part. Age does not play a part in the approval process. 

“We have a wide range of benefits, designed with all ages across our workforce in mind. The Working Group made us think about how we could ensure that these covered the things that matter to people aged 50 and over.  

“For example, in 2022, we launched an Employee Assistance Programme, designed to help individuals deal with personal and professional problems that could be affecting their home or work life, health or general wellbeing. It provides a complete support network offering confidential, expert advice and compassionate guidance 24/7. 

“We also offer an optical benefit, enabling employees to claim money every two years towards eye tests and/or new glasses or contact lenses. 

“On top of that, we give staff free access to the Oddfellows Citizens Advice Line and to the Oddfellows Care and Welfare Helpline, where they can receive practical advice and support on any issues that may be impacting their personal and professional life. 

“The Diversity Working Group is and has been a really worthwhile endeavour. We hope we can be a best practice example to other firms, showcasing the benefits of embracing staff of all ages and backgrounds.”