Fuller's launches first recruitment drive targeted at older workers

Fuller's has launched its first recruitment campaign targeted at older workers in a bid to boost recruitment.

The pub and hotel group has partnered with Rest Less, a digital community that advocates for people aged over 50, to try and attract more people back into the workforce.

Earlier this month Fuller's began posting available positions across its various brands and locations on the site's job board.

Around 10% of Fuller's 5,000 staff are aged over 50 and the company hopes the partnership will boost its numbers.

The hospitality group runs 385 managed and tenanted inns, predominantly in the south of England, and 44% of its sites are within the M25.

Dawn Browne, Fuller's people and talent director, said: "Older workers have a lot to offer us – and we have a lot to offer them, with shift lengths and work patterns to suit. We are very much a people business, and the older generation bring an exceptional level of customer service and consumer interaction.

"We already have a number of older workers – including some octogenarians – among our team members, and it would be great to increase that number."

There were 158,000 job vacancies in the hospitality sector between July and September this year, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Research from Caterer.com released earlier this month showed a growing number of over-50's taking up jobs in pubs, restaurants, and hotels.

More than 130,000 over-50's are now working in the sector and over 70% of hospitality employers surveyed by the job board said the rising cost of living was driving more older people to boost their income by working in the industry.

Stuart Lewis, chief executive of Rest Less, said many workers in their 50's and 60's had left employment during the pandemic but were now considering a return to work.

"Flexible work is an important draw for midlifers who sometimes need to fit work around caring responsibilities, or simply because they want to pursue other interests alongside their day job," he said.

"Older workers have a huge amount to offer businesses and yet are often overlooked by recruiters. Experience, wisdom, loyalty and reliability are just some of the common attributes that many older workers bring in spades – which is great news for Fuller's and its customers."

Caterer.com research found only 16% of hospitality operators surveyed currently run an active returner programme for the over-50's and said more could be done to help people returning to the workforce.

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