Culture toolkit — policies and processes — 50+ network

Setting up a 50+ network

Setting up and supporting a network for employees in their 50s, 60s and beyond can be an effective way to support those staff and make them feel valued — as well as a useful tool to gather feedback on age-friendly initiatives.

Here are five steps to think about when establishing the group.

Step 1: Be clear about the purpose

Having a clear remit and objectives for the group will mean employees are more likely to join and that it is more likely to be useful to you.

What do you want this group to do, for the organisation as a whole and for the members themselves? Will you consult with the group on new initiatives and policies? Will it be a place for social connections, or for sharing experiences and knowledge? Will it provide more practical support, for example with career development?

It's best to keep the scope limited. Trying to do too much can dilute the impact or feel overwhelming for employees who may not have a huge amount of time to dedicate to the group.

Step 2: Encourage employees to join

Promote the network through all of your internal communication channels and encourage line managers to share with their teams. Make sure it’s clear that the group has senior leadership buy-in and will have a voice in the organisation.

A good idea is to hold a “taster” event so that employees can come along and find out more. You may want to invite a guest speaker or ask an employee to share their experiences, to show why the group will be valuable.

Be clear about how often the group will meet, how it will communicate and what members will get out of joining.

Step 3: Provide the resources the group needs

It’s easy for internal networks to fizzle out. To avoid this, make sure you are providing what the group needs to function. For example, if they meet face-to-face is there a meeting room available? Can you provide them with access to resources to help them carry out their role — for example materials from the Age-friendly Employer Pledge or Age Without Limits?

Can you provide a dedicated online space for the group to discuss and share — for example a Slack channel or a Teams chat?

This means members can stay engaged even if they can’t make the meetings.

Step 4: Make sure the group feel safe and valued

For the network to be useful it needs to be a space where individuals feel comfortable discussing challenges related to ageing in the workplace. Make it clear that what is shared in the group is confidential. Any feedback to leadership should be collated and anonymised.

Make sure that the group is regularly acknowledged and thanked for their contributions, both directly by relevant staff and publicly in internal communications. Where there are success stories from the group make sure that these are shared.

Step 5: Evaluation

It’s important to know that the group is working well. Track participation and engagement with the group to see that members are still feeling engaged. You should also regularly ask for feedback from members on how the group is working and what could be done to make it even better.

Creating 50+ champions

If your organisation cannot set up a network for older employees (perhaps because it is too small or the logistics make it difficult), you could ask for volunteers to be “champions” for members of the workforce over 50+.

These individuals could act as advocates for older employees and a way for leadership to quickly seek the views of older employees.

Again, it is important to be clear about the purpose and scope of such a role, particularly the level on commitment you are asking for. Make sure that the champions are clearly promoted internally and that other employees know how to contact them, and about what. Make sure you acknowledge their contribution and make them feel valued.