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Young workers complement old, says study

27 Sep 2007

Young workers complement old, says study A mix of ages in the workplace has beneficial effects on the skills base, according to new research.

The Department of Work and Pensions poll revealed that younger employees pass on modern and sometimes cutting-edge skills to workers twice their age.

Some 40 per cent of respondents aged over 50 said that they had benefited from working with people under the age of 25.

The majority (95 per cent) of older workers enjoy working with their younger colleagues.

Chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie, said that the findings revealed that a good balance of age and skills could bring a range of benefits to a company.

"Both older and younger workers appreciate and learn from the qualities each brings to the workplace" he said.

The research was published in time for the first anniversary of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006.

The poll also revealed that women were more likely than men to give positive feedback about the qualities of their co-workers.

More than half of older workers think younger colleagues to be more likely to take risks and 16 per cent said they are also more likely to be allocated manual tasks.

Figures published by employment relations organisation Acas reveal that the working population is getting older with more than 20 million people aged 50 plus.

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