On your bike! Over-50s ‘ought to ship takeaways’ says jobs minister
Over-50s ought to break away from age-related job stereotypes and embrace a wider vary of profession alternatives – like changing into supply riders or drivers for corporations like Deliveroo and Just Eat – the Work and Pensions Secretary has recommended.
Mel Stride’s feedback got here throughout a go to to the London headquarters of meals supply agency Deliveroo, which has recorded a 62% enhance in riders aged over 50 since 2021. In an interview with the Times throughout his go to to the meals supply firm, Mr Stride was requested if the over-50s ought to apply for jobs historically seen as being for youthful folks.
He stated: “There are loads of great opportunities out there for people and it’s of course good for people to consider options they might not have otherwise thought of.”
Mr Stride said of firms like Deliveroo: “What we’re seeing here is the ability to log on and off any time you like, no requirement to have to do a certain number of hours over a certain period of time, which is driving huge opportunities…
“From an employer’s point of view in a tight labour market, it’s absolutely essential if you want to access all the available talent that you provide as flexible an offer as you can.”
Mr Stride has prior to now spoken about how versatile working is “the way forward” and never “just for the over-50s but often for those who have disabilities”.
On the just lately launched digital “Mid-life MOTs”, that are designed to assist older employees with monetary planning, well being steerage and profession abilities, Mr Stride instructed the newspaper: “You really do need to sensibly stop, take where you are in life, and assess whether for example you’ve got enough money to get you through with the kind of lifestyle and living standards that you’re expecting.
“We tend to think everything is going to continue roughly as it is and you’ll always be able to find a job later on in life. I think it’s always valuable just to take stock every now and again and have a look at that.”
According to the Cabinet minister, the duty of making an inclusive work setting for older workers ought to fall on employers. He stated: “I think most people find it deeply unattractive to go and work for an employer that’s all about politics and all of that kind of stuff.
“It has to be a sensible balance, and I think older people have generally had enough life experience to roll with those kinds of things anyway.”
As for his personal profession plans, Mr Stride, 61, expressed his dedication to serving in his present function and stated he has no intention of retiring early. He stated: “I’m very happy doing what I’m doing at the moment.
“Of course, as we know in politics, nothing is certain, so who knows where I’ll be in many years’ time — but I very much hope and aspire to be continuing to do this job, because it’s the greatest job in the world.”