welcome

As a visitor to this Employers Forum on Age website, you probably know something about age diversity and the benefits it can bring to business. You may also know of the economic threat posed by demographic change.

Your business could be taking its first steps towards age awareness; or you may be experienced at delivering diversity programmes, and now be looking for fresh perspectives on age.

Whatever your starting point, this website provides resources and arguments that will promote age diversity within your business. Together, they form a compelling business case that 'smart companies' are already turning to their advantage.

The arguments and advice on this site are straightforward and uncomplicated. Most of the information is 'plain common sense', and you will see this slogan repeated throughout the site. It is a reminder that age diversity is as much plain common sense as working with reliable suppliers or using good-quality materials.

The site is divided into five sections:

• The next big threat to business
• Seizing the opportunity
• Legislation
• Case studies
• Next steps

If you are unfamiliar with the arguments in favour of age diversity, we recommend that you navigate through the sections in the order in which they appear above. This will introduce you to the combined threat to business from internal prejudice and demographic change, explain benefits and legislation, and lead you to case studies.

However, if you are looking for information and examples to support an existing age diversity programme, please feel free to select whichever pages are most appropriate. The following outline gives you an overview of content. For more detail, please view the sitemap.

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The next big threat to business

• how prejudice can blind your business to the benefits of age diversity
• examples of how age-based prejudice can damage your business
• how demographic change is causing the workforce to contract
• how a shortage of skilled workers could damage your business and the wider economy

Seizing the opportunity
- how age diversity can benefit your business by:

• Reducing costs
• Opening new markets and revenue streams
• Improving efficiency
• Attracting the best employees
• Attracting investment

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Legislation
- the UK must legislate against age discrimination no later than 2006

• Companies that don't comply face prosecution
• Costs of litigation can be high

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Case studies

• UK companies are gaining measurable benefits from age diversity policies
• How members of the Employers Forum on Age have begun to gain business benefits from age diversity

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Next steps

• Six steps to getting started
• Useful links
• Contact your human resources department
• Contact information for EFA

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