Older employees call for greater inclusion as more seniors join the workforce

Business owners are zeroing in keeping aging employees.

In a culturally and ethnically diverse country such as Singapore which caters to a myriad of races, religions, ages, and nationalities, employers are driven to meet the needs of all these workers.

The city-state is also facing a looming silver tsunami, which means organisations will need to include a strong focus on older workers. According to a survey by Randstad, 93% of workers aged between 55 and 67 are placing great importance on workplace diversity, higher than any other age group.

This is not to say that Singapore has a lot to go to achieve optimum workplace diversity, but there is more room for improvement, as 80% of employees say they currently work for an open and inclusive employer.

The figure is a nod to government initiatives pushing for the cause such as the Workplace Diversity Management Toolkit and Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices guidelines.

“Singapore’s changing demographic profile means that women, foreigners and older employees now make up a larger proportion of the workforce. It now becomes more important for employers to implement measures to ensure that all current and potential employees are treated fairly and on the basis of merit,” said Michael Smith, Randstad country director for Singapore.

A diverse workplace is also an efficient workplace, as employees from diverse backgrounds provide different perspectives in challenging the status quo, which leads to productivity and innovation gains.

Meanwhile, Smith said companies can sustain a diverse culture by discouraging negative behaviour and urging employees to speak up when they feel something isn't right.

“A diverse workforce that feels comfortable communicating differing points of view can be used to more effectively meet the needs of both employees and customers, and help drive the business strategy forward," Smith said.