NatWest Group is Championing an Age Inclusive Workforce

 “We are approaching a workplace crisis,” said founder and CEO of 55/Redefined Lyndsey Simpson, as she opened her most recent Age Pioneers forum. “By 2050, the workplace age population in the UK will have shrunk by 25% whilst the number of over-60s will grow by 40%. This will create a huge shortfall in skilled workers – we need to act now.” Even more scarily, these statistics ring true across all Western countries, resulting in a shortfall of 50 million skilled workers.  

The good news? More over-50s than ever are ready, willing, and able to fill those vacant roles. The bad news? Ageism is still rife in the workplace, with many companies reluctant to hire older workers. That’s where 55/Redefined comes in. 

If Your Business Doesn't Have an Age Strategy, it Doesn't Have a Growth Strategy

If your business doesn’t have an age strategy, it doesn’t have a growth strategy, and that’s why Lyndsey and her team are joining forces with a new wave of employers, taking an age-inclusive approach to recruitment in a bid to maximise access to talent. By working in partnership with Work/Redefined to lead the way to become Age Inclusive Accredited Employers, these innovative companies are quickly getting ahead of their competitors and becoming pioneers in the race to create age-friendly workplaces. 

NatWest Champion Potential

NatWest Group, is maximising its opportunity for improvement by actively ensuring recruitment processes are inclusive and accessible to workers over 50, and therefore reaping the benefits of a more diverse workforce. 

“NatWest Group is delighted to be partnering with Work/Redefined, to recruit the 50+ talent pool as we understand and anticipate the benefits of increasing age diversification in our workforce,” Jill Duthie, Talent Acquisition Lead, UK&E Delivery.

“We look forward to engaging with a more age diverse workforce as championing belonging is something we feel strongly about at NatWest. Diversity and inclusion are part of our collective identity as a bank and to truly be inclusive we must advocate for the older generations."

Both recent statistics and research show that having an age inclusion strategy is no longer a choice but a vital growth component, which is precisely why NatWest Group have taken action by consistently implementing its age strategy to help it grow even more successfully as a business. Leading the banking sector in age inclusion, it understands that lived experience and fine-tuned people skills generally foster team and customer empathy, service and satisfaction, further helping to drive sales and customer retention.

Here, we speak to Jill to discuss NatWest’s passion for diversity, its steps to recruit 50+ talent, and the benefits other companies can expect to see by following its lead.

Why is NatWest Group Passionate About Diversity, and Specifically Age Diversity?

“At NatWest, we will stand up for people who are excluded, remove barriers that stop people from progressing in their careers and create a safe, happy, and healthy environment for all. This is deep rooted, core to who we are and our purpose and values as a bank. To be the NatWest our customers are proud of, diversity, equity and inclusion must be part of our collective identity.

“As part of this, we want to give everyone who works here, and every customer who meets us, the chance to succeed and the support to thrive. This encompasses people of all ages."

“We are specifically passionate about age diversity as we recognise the benefits of an intergenerational workforce, and champion its belonging here at NatWest. To be truly inclusive, we need to combat ageist stereotypes and bust the myths related to age. This will allow people to bring their authentic selves to work and ensure people of all ages and backgrounds have a safe, happy and healthy environment to work in.”

Why is it Important to Take Specific Steps to Target 50+ Talent?

 “It’s important to target diverse talent across all spectrums to be representative of our customer base. 50+ talent brings a wealth of experience to the organisation, be it candidates looking to build on existing careers and experience or those seeking to diversify and change direction. It’s also recognised that 50+ talent has lower levels of attrition than some other age demographics, which is a real benefit for employers.”

Could you Tell Us More About Your Graduate Programme, Which is Not Age Restricted?

 “Our graduate programme – it’s not age restricted, and applicants can apply regardless of when they graduated, so it allows people from older generations to kick start their career in a different way.

 “We recognise that everyone is an individual, so we offer bespoke learning journeys which can consider the skills and experience a new joiner has already built in their previous career.

 “Opportunities are given to build business knowledge and personal effectiveness skills, whilst also growing vital future skills such as digital literacy, agile methodologies and creative thinking. This is something which older joiners to the programme have found particularly beneficial, as technology has advanced as generations have progressed.”

What Other Benefits Can New Joiners Enjoy?

 “We introduce everyone to a wide network of dedicated people to support them, including a graduate coach or professional mentor, a buddy and a placement manager. Joiners have an induction to introduce them to the business and connect with other graduates, which immediately creates a sense of belonging and a network to share thoughts with like-minded individuals.

“Our DEI team has also completed rigorous work with the Inclusion Champions, which now constitute around 1000 employees across all business areas. The role of an Inclusion Champion is to take action to create a workplace where our colleagues and customers feel they’re treated fairly, with respect, and have equal opportunities.

 “We’ve also delivered targeted learning sessions on psychological safety by an external expert. These have equipped Inclusion Champions with the skills to support a safe, inclusive workplace for all colleagues.”

Why Has NatWest Group Chosen to Partner With 55/Redefined to Recruit the 50+ Talent Pool?

 “We need different voices and new perspectives. We want our business to reflect the communities we serve, which means listening to and engaging with a difference. Recruiting the 50+ talent pool and taking advantage of the jobs board at Jobs/Redefined will allow us to listen to different voices and build teams that reflect our diverse communities and clients.

 “We look forward to witnessing the breadth of experience and the vast range of skills this group will bring to NatWest. We aim to share these talents with our wider workforce and harness all capabilities to build teams which complement each other and develop our current ways of working.

 “Developing our colleagues is something we are particularly passionate about at NatWest. We anticipate that the recruitment of people aged 50 and over will generate a plethora of development opportunities and create scope for employees to share their strengths and upskill others.”

What are the Key Benefits You Expect to See From More Diverse Intergenerational Workplaces?

 “Employees of different ages bring different skills, experiences, and viewpoints, helping to increase innovation and problem solving. NatWest can harness all these different skills and capabilities to build teams who complement each other and provide development opportunities.

 “Intergenerational mentoring is effective in increasing employee retention and career development. As workforces become more age diverse, opportunities are identified to upskill employees on different strengths. These opportunities allow people to advance in their careers and employee retention increases as people feel more supported and engaged.

 “Additionally, an age diverse workforce can provide enhanced customer service and help build better business-client relationships. Representing age groups of the clients in our own workforce makes it easier to identify what customers need.”

 Now, more than ever, it’s crucial that employers tune into the needs and aspirations of the over-50’s talent pool, not only to do what’s morally right, but to get one step ahead of the competition. With their new affiliation, 55/Redefined and NatWest Group are at the forefront of reimagining the future of work in the banking sector, with many more companies set to follow suit.