Ensuring more older workers see a future in hospitality key to sector’s future success

After all, how often have you been served drinks at an inviting local pub where the warmth of the welcome is as much down to the personality of bar staff of all ages as it is to the taste of a well-earned pint or cheeky G&T.

Certainly it`s an industry whose success is partly dependent on the experience of those employed in the sector.  After all, how can pubs offer show stopping service or beer-makers brew award-winning ales if they lack the people who really understand what it takes to deliver this level of quality. Either through intricate knowledge or simply life experiences and an understanding of what people need from their leisure time. That’s why working in hospitality and the pub industry is such a perfect fit for older people.

Not least those who feel they fancy a career change or perhaps are choosing to return to employment after a significant time away from the workplace. And it`s a win-win situation at a time when the hospitality industry is experiencing both skills and labour shortages, across the whole of the UK. Naturally it`s a situation which has been aggravated by the pandemic, Brexit and even the cost-of-living crisis. But also, because now more than ever the draw of the pub as a place for social interaction and a panacea for loneliness has never been more important. But equally it’s important that employers look to the value of taking on older staff – not least in pubs and hospitality, where career opportunities, variety and flexibility ensure job satisfaction for anyone coming into the industry.

It’s something that at independent family brewers Joseph Holt we are proud to say we have achieved and which accounts for the fact that we are able to buck the trend when it comes to struggling to find quality staff. We are passionate about encouraging older people to come and work with us and as such are the first brewery to have signed the Centre for Ageing Better’s Age-friendly Employer Pledge - a nationwide programme for employers who recognise the importance and value of older workers. Alongside more than a dozen other hospitality employers, including a number of hotels and foodservice companies, we have committed to getting people in their 50s and 60s into the workplace and taking the necessary action to help them flourish in a multigenerational workforce. That’s why the Age-friendly Employer Pledge is such a natural fit. We are a company that celebrates our business heritage.

Established in Manchester we are proud of our northern roots and are dedicated to the communities we serve through our 127 pubs across the Northwest. This year we celebrate our 175 anniversary and part of the reason for our enduring success is because of the experience and loyalty of the people who work for us. We firmly believe that if someone can do the job, then the date on their birth certificate is a complete irrelevance. Something best demonstrated by the fact we employ landladies who span every generation from their 20s to their 70s.

Indeed, the story was covered in both print and on television as the media and amongst the women who were featured was Ronnie Bell who is 75 and who runs The Sun and Castle, Stockport. Ronnie, who is a great-grandmother, didn't get involved with pubs until her 30s when she started helping a friend at a local pub. She went on to run four pubs in the area over the past 38 years.

Older workers have so much to offer - we just need to make people aware of the opportunities exist. After all, even though there are more than 3 million people aged 50-64 currently economically inactive in this country. At least one in seven of these would be keen to return to the workplace with the right support.
And older workers impact on businesses is significant too. Research has shown that companies with multigenerational workforces are more productive and innovative. 

At Joseph Holt there is no doubt that we have shaken off the unfounded perception that ours is an industry primarily offering stop-gap employment for younger workers, a place for a casual employment until something `better` comes along. Those who hear about us know that is a place where the foundations can be laid for a long, fulfilling, and absorbing career

But we need to get that message out for the rest of the industry. For whilst nearly three quarters (70%) of over 50s said they would consider a career in hospitality even greater numbers (88%) think that hospitality businesses prefer hiring younger people.

At Joseph Holt, we have been brewing beer since 1849 and our domain extends far beyond the bar, encompassing roles in brewery operations, warehouse logistics, office administration, as well as roles in our 127 pubs across the Northwest.

We have an unwavering commitment to fostering growth and progression for our team members, whatever their age.

Through a blend of internal training programmes and access to external certifications, we seek to empower individuals to expand their skill sets, exchange knowledge, and chart their own professional journey.

There is much about the sector which makes it a good career choice for workers – which is why Joseph Holt has become a magnet for employees of all ages.

With diverse working patterns and hours, and flexibility away from the conventional nine to five, the industry caters to the varied lifestyles of individuals at different stages of life. It`s also a people industry – every customer has a story and often enjoy sharing it with warm and friendly staff who, through dint of age, circumstance and experience have the skills to chat and listen to whomever appears at the bar.

Ensuring that workers of all ages see a long-term future working in hospitality is key to the sector’s future prosperity.

Broadening the number of people who can see their future in the sector broadens the talent pool from which employers can pick from, ensuring the best chance that recruitment delivers the right people that will help to deliver high-quality service. 

Signing the Age-friendly Employer Pledge is one step we’d like to see everyone in the sector take to try and achieve that.