Ageless at Work - Skills for Care

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“[There is] little to suggest that they [older workers] will be a high priority in the distribution of opportunities for training or support in workplaces” (Billet and van Woerkom, 2008). A number of studies of work-related training for lower skilled staff in the NHS have highlighted the important role played by managers (and the work organisation as a whole) in creating the conditions for learning in the workplace (UKESC, 2009). Organisational barriers to skills development include: - Problems negotiating time off to train, especially for front-line staff, and especially if training is off-site; - The danger that attempts to foster a learning environment are undermined by other changes to the employment relationship (for example, need for flexibility which may conflict with attempts to promote evening or weekend working); - Unequal access due to specific views of line managers (who may for example, view investing in training for older workers as an inefficient use of resources); - Concerns among learners and managers regarding the value of N/SVQ-orientated training. Mcbride et al. (2006) identified a number of barriers to skills development faced by lower skilled NHS staff, including: managers’ conflicting priorities and limited resources to find cover for staff undertaking skills development activities; the time and distance associated with getting to training centres (especially in rural areas); a lack of consistent information about opportunities; and in some cases the sense that managers had ‘rationed’ information about opportunities to favoured staff (who may, for example, view investing in training for older workers as an inefficient use of resources). This rationing is often based on the perception that older learners are (VT Research, 2008): - More reluctant to train, especially if bordering on retirement - Showing fear or insecurity and lack of understanding of the need to train - Believing that training is unnecessary - Finding it harder to learn new things. One [American] study (Peterson and Wendt, 1995) found that a quarter of those aged 50 and over who had not trained ‘had not participated in an educational activity because their employer had not encouraged them to do so’. Given older workers lack of support - older workers need to be assertive in seeking educational opportunities, but underlines the importance of managers in encouraging the ongoing development of older workers (Githens, 2007). While the appropriateness of provision, and workplace issues and employer attitudes are important, extrinsic factors influencing older peoples’ attitudes to training, others include work and family commitments. The most frequently reported barriers to learning tended to relate to intrinsic factors (i.e. related to the individual’s attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and motivation), of which the most frequently cited reasons were: a preference to spend time doing other things (43 percent), a perception that they were too old to learn (35 percent), not being interested in learning (29 percent), insufficient knowledge about local learning opportunities (23 percent) and nervousness about returning to the classroom (22 percent). The most common reasons for not participating in learning among those who would like to learn include (Eurostat Adult Education Survey): Ageless at Work: Change workplace cultures, development skills. Good practice report 33
- Training conflicted with the work schedule (44 percent) - Respondent did not have time because of family responsibilities (42 percent) - Training was too expensive/ respondent could not afford (37 percent) - No training offered at the reachable distance (26 percent) - Respondent not confident about ‘going back to something that is like school’ (24 percent) - Lack of employer’s support (23 percent) - Did not have the prerequisites for admittance (21 percent) - Health or age (17 percent). McBride’s evaluation of the NHS skills escalator project similarly identified a number of individual barriers encountered by lower skills NHS staff, including a lack of confidence in their ability to learn; embarrassment with low levels of literacy; apathy and a questioning of the benefits of skills development, especially among older staff. A case study within a social care employer in the [area] found: “Management noted that some staff felt intimidated and would be inclined to quit than undergo training. Thus, absenteeism rose when training sessions were scheduled. It was stated that staff would not come in especially for training, even when paid. There was therefore a fear that some otherwise good carers will quit. Part of the problem was also said to be a lack of basic skills on the part of some staff. The majority just wanted a simple job, with no extra demands, though some younger staff do see care as a potential career.” (reference unknown) Older learners also have a different motivation to learn that younger workers: Older learners less motivated to achieve a qualification than younger workers, rather they are more interested in ‘upgrading or updating’ skills’ – increases with age (UKCES, 2009). Older, experienced employees [in their study] appeared to be positive about learning when it was seen to be relevant and helped them to do their jobs better or more easily. Three quarters wanted to take part in job-related training at the company, quarter wanted formal training. Those employees who had career or personal aspirations beyond their current job were more likely to view opportunities to learn outside work positively than those who were content with their position and who were not aspiring to change. Table 10 Cultural, attitudinal and dispositional barriers to learning Cultural Learning perceived to go against social, gender of family norms. Attitudinal Learning perceived as something narrow, formal and assessed. Learning institutions believed to cater exclusively for other age and social groups Skepticism about the relevance and value of learning Dispositional Lack of confidence Fear of failure and exposing weaknesses Belief that one is too old to learn. Source: Newton et al. (2005: 26) 34 Ageless at Work: Change workplace cultures, development skills. Good practice report
Page 1 and 2: we help create a trained and qualif
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS 1. Introduction ..........
Page 5 and 6: Index of Tables Table 1 Six things
Page 7 and 8: While organisational change had bee
Page 9 and 10: 2. POLICY CONTEXT Why and how is ad
Page 11 and 12: Ensuring the right steps are taken
Page 13 and 14: Table 3 Workforce remodelling: prio
Page 15 and 16: What is already happening to suppor
Page 17 and 18: Personalisation agenda as set out i
Page 19 and 20: Responses to an open question about
Page 21 and 22: What works in enhancing leadership
Page 23 and 24: Skills for Care London also trailed
Page 25 and 26: Table 7 Engage the workforc
Page 27 and 28: Table 8 What needs to be done to in
Page 29 and 30: • Support and enable people to us
Page 31 and 32: People who use services as drivers
Page 33: There is also evidence that older p
Page 37 and 38: articulate the experience, knowledg
Page 39 and 40: ‘unlikely’ learners 12 aged 55
Page 41 and 42: personalisation’. The results of
Page 43 and 44: Mentoring is cited as a “fundamen
Page 45 and 46: • Yearly (or more frequent) suppo
Page 47 and 48: Secondly, the project could test ne
Page 49 and 50: Figure 2 Vacancies notified to Jobc
Page 51 and 52: A recent survey by the ADASS/LGA (2
Page 53 and 54: Figure 5 Projected working age popu
Page 55 and 56: Table 15 Trends and drivers affecti
Page 57 and 58: Table 16 Health status of the popul
Page 59 and 60: Table 16 Main features of the ‘in
Page 61 and 62: 6. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROJECT ACTI
Page 63 and 64: Activities that challenge older wor
Page 65 and 66: ECOTEC (Undated) European Social Fu
Page 67: Tick Tock (2007) Tick Tock: An EQUA

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