Older Australians are the answer for many employers grappling with the ongoing impacts of labour shortages.
Companies are tapping into the mature-age workforce to help plug the gaps across many industries including retail, health, hospitality and administration sectors.
Latest Australia Bureau of Statistics Data showed there were 470,900 job vacancies in August.
Many of those jobs could be filled by older Australians, said Ian Henschke, National Seniors Australia chief advocate.
“Our research shows almost 20 per cent of pensioners are considering returning to work from retirement but under the current rules they risk losing 50 cents in the dollar from their pension and pay tax on top,” he said.
National Seniors Australia has called for a New Zealand-style policy where pensioners work as much as they want and pay tax only on their total income.
With 60 per cent of pensioners surveyed by the advocacy group saying they would re-enter the workforce for the money, the proposal would help many supplement their incomes.
Modelling commissioned by National Seniors Australia found the policy would be cost neutral if only 8.3 per cent more pensioners were mobilised to re-enter the workforce, work longer or more hours.
“The government must act quickly, clearly, and decisively to send a signal to pensioners and veterans they’re needed, valued and free to keep working, re-enter the workforce or work more,” he said.
A shortage of migrant workers is one of the drivers of unemployment figures. But more older Australians were entering the workforce before the COVID pandemic struck and international borders were closed.
National Skills Commission data shows the number of workers aged 55 and older jumped from 10.5 per cent in February 1980 to 19.4 per cent in February 2020.
Data also shows Australians are also working for longer, with the median age of workers rising from 40 in 2001 to 44 in 2020.
With unemployment hovering at record lows between 3.4 per cent and 4.2 per cent this year, recruitment specialist Roxanne Calder said employers were increasingly turning to mature age workers
“What we have is a shortage of talent, candidates and skills, and it’s forced people to think where else they can look for people and thank goodness they are looking at over 55s,” she said.
Calder said there are many benefits of hiring older workers.
“It’s that level of maturity, calmness and assuredness because they have been around the block,” she said.
“Obviously you can’t broad sweep and say everyone over 55 has these attributes, but I think there’s just that level of experience and wisdom that makes you feel like you’re in safe hands.”
One of Australia’s oldest workers is Brenda Palmer, 87, who works on the checkout at Coles in suburban Melbourne.
And Bunnings employs 91-year-old Harold, who began working at the hardware chain four years ago.
