Get over-50s back to work to tackle UK labour shortage, says John Lewis boss

‘Some think about it as the “great resignation”. I think about it as the “life reappraisal”,’ White said. Photograph: Terry Murden/Alamy

The boss of John Lewis has said that the 1 million mostly over-50s who left their jobs during the Covid pandemic should be encouraged back to work to tackle the labour shortage that is pushing up inflation and wages.

Dame Sharon White, a former second permanent secretary at the Treasury and chief executive of media and postal regulator Ofcom, said she had never seen such a difficult economic situation facing businesses.