Case studies: older worker programs
Some businesses are already benefiting from employing older workers, as demonstrated by these case studies.
Lake Barrine Cruises and Teahouse
Brisbane Transport - Brisbane City Council
AdelsGrove Caravan and Camping Ground
Community Solutions
Lake Barrine Cruises and Teahouse
This business employs 20 staff, mostly on a permanent part-time basis. About two-thirds of the workforce are aged 40 or over - and most are long-term employees.
Owners Leanne and Bill Curry-Bayne have found older employees tend to provide a stable workforce. More importantly, they find older staff relate well to customers.
Bill and Leanne said they made a conscious decision to operate their business in a way that allowed employees to have the flexibility to meet family and other obligations. In return, their staff give a high level of commitment and are always willing to respond to unexpected demands of the business.
Brisbane Transport - Brisbane City Council
Brisbane Transport employs about 1,300 bus drivers - and while there is no policy to recruit older drivers, most new staff are over 40 years of age. Some are older than 65.
Many drivers have had demanding senior roles in earlier careers and enjoy the reduced level of responsibility and flexible work arrangements that fit their lifestyles. Brisbane Transport reports that older drivers provide a reliable, stable, low maintenance workforce and that they relate well to the public.
AdelsGrove Caravan Park and Camping Ground—remote North Western Queensland
During peak season this outback business employs about 14 staff. At times, up to 85 percent of its workforce are mature age employees.
Many staff members are 'passing through' as they travel around Australia, and are happy to stop and work throughout the tourist season.
Owner Michelle Low Mow lists a number of sound reasons for employing older workers: "About 90 percent of our clients are retired people, and older workers relate perfectly to them and understand their needs. Our older staff also have a mature approach to their work and bring a variety of skills and experience. We have far less staff turnover than with younger employees."
Community Solutions - a community-based organisation (with centres in Hervey Bay, Maryborough and Bundaberg) that provides training and job placement
This organisation employs a number of mature aged workers as well as training and placing about 400 (mostly women) during the past 12 months.
These placements were in the retail, hospitality and manufacturing industries, and included both full and part-time positions.
Community Solutions Manager of Support Services, Mark Hollis, said many employers valued older workers because of their maturity, loyalty, ability to make informed decisions based on life experience, and their willingness to learn: "Our experience is that older workers are keen to learn new skills, they adapt quickly to new situations and they are reliable employees with low turnover."
Last update June 9, 2006
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