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The British Institute of Facilities Management reveals almost Half of Organisations are Unprepared for an Ageing Workforce

Facilities managers overlook the wider issues of different age ranges within the workforce

London – November 11th, 2010 – Today the British Institute of Facilities Management, the UK’s leading association for facilities management professionals, revealed that almost half of organisations are not taking into account the different workplace needs of their oldest and youngest employees. The results come from the BIFM’s recent Post-recessional Workplaces Review, conducted by Leesman, a workplace effectiveness survey, data capture and audit service provider for the workplace design and management industry.

The recent government proposals to increase the state retirement age are an indication that changes need to be made to cope effectively with an ageing workforce.  The BIFM poll – conducted amongst BIFM’s members and workplace industry insiders – revealed that few organisations are working to understand the impact that an ageing workforce will have on their company. This is alarming, especially considering the fact that during the past two recessionary years, the proportion of people over 55 planning to work beyond state pension age has jumped from 40% to 71%, and that many people want to remain economically active beyond state pension age. (1)

“An increased ageing working population is going to apply new pressures and bring new challenges for those responsible for designing and managing workplace.” says Tim Oldman, Managing Director at Leesman, “In the survey 84% of respondents recognised that the quality of a workplace impacts on the productivity of it’s occupiers, but only 52% recognise the differing needs of the oldest and youngest users.”

Similarly with an older workforce, employers need to also make sure they cater for the needs of younger employees. The younger generation, so-called Generation Y, will have different skill sets and working methods and philosophies, which organisations will need to consider in order to secure their workforce of the future.

“The oldest and youngest employee groups look for very different things in their workplaces” says BIFM Strategy Director Stephen Bennett.  “So those responsible for workplace are going to have some big issues to address in the way that they create effective office spaces for an increasingly diverse workforce, not to mention an increasing mobile one.”

The full results of the survey will be published in a report, which will be available in November.

(1) Source: Equality and Human Rights Commission, UK Jan 2010

Tags: ageing population, Ageing workforce, BIFM, British Institute of Facilities Management, Leesman, Workplace Audit, Workplace Review, Workplace Satisfaction