How Brands are Creating Opportunities for Mature Workers

    

Hear from KFC, DonDonDonki, Paradise Group Holdings & Mini Environmental Services

Many Singaporeans must have heard about the retirement age bump in our Prime Minister’s National Day Rally 2019. 

The retirement age will be raised from the current 62 to 65 years old and the re-employment age from 67 to 70 years old, which will gradually take place from 2022 to 2030.

Many companies in Singapore have been preparing for this and increasingly welcoming to mature workers.

At FastJobs, we reached out to 4 brands - KFC, Paradise Group Holdings, Mini Environmental Services, and DonDonDonki to understand how they are shaping their current environment to create better opportunities suitable for mature workers.

Here’s what the brands told us about being more inclusive to mature workers and why mature workers are important to them.

 

“Age is Just a Number” - KFC

It is common to see mature staff at KFC outlets. To KFC, age is just a number - it is their skills and abilities that matter. 

KFC believes in hiring employees based on their competencies, instead of being judged based on their age.

They believe that mature employees tend to understand and handle customers better and also are likely to be more committed to the company.

Some ways in which KFC makes it easier for mature employees? 

• Systems and SOPs are adapted to make it simpler for seniors to follow - For example, color charts and pictorial charts are used instead of text-heavy documents.
• Implementation of self-ordering kiosks to reduce the need to multitask and constantly stand for long durations.

If you’re a mature applicant, look out for service roles in the KFC outlets- They actively welcome seniors! Click here to apply for positions at KFC on FastJobs

 

“A Motherly/ Fatherly Figure Around is Always Well Received” - Paradise Group Holdings

To Paradise Group Holdings (PGH), mature employees are a part of their family.

PGH believes in recruiting older workers, as they come with valuable life experiences.

They are also seen as pillars of strength that are aligned with PGH’s company values - offering more than just hard-skills.

Mature applicants with relevant job experience and skills can look out for senior-friendly roles such as: Food/ Beverage Runners, Bar Operations, or Receptionist.

Click here to apply for positions at Paradise Group Holdings on FastJobs

 

“With their experience, they can contribute more” - Mini Environmental Services

Mini Environmental Services (MES Group) is no stranger when it comes to hiring mature employees. In fact, the oldest employee they recently hired is aged 74!

To them, older workers have an edge over younger ones since they have more job experience and have better familiarity with the working culture. They also tend to make better, well-informed decisions and are always willing to contribute more towards the organisation.

MES Group’s roles are well-suited to seniors, without the need for any modifications to the job scopes to cater to seniors.

They offer many job options for mature workers with customer service skill sets. Delivery attendants, hotel housekeeping attendants, drivers (with appropriate licensing) are some of the types of roles that mature job seekers can apply for within MES Group. 

Click here to apply for positions at MES Group on FastJobs

 

“Senior Workers are Stable & Consistent” - Don Don Donki

The team at Don Don Donki discovered that mature workers fit the requirements of their food packer role quite by chance. The role has flexible hours in order to cater to their peak morning and lunch crowds, which happened to suit mature workers with family commitments looking for flexi-work. Today, 90% of their food packers are mature workers. 

They believe that mature employees can support repetitive operations more diligently, which helps especially since it has been challenging to hire local young talent.

There are many senior-friendly job positions at Don Don Donki, such as Food Packers and Kitchen Helpers. Candidates who are above 62 are employed on a contract basis, renewable on a yearly basis, and will need to pass their pre-employment checkup. DonDon Donki is also accommodating to mature workers, welcoming those who do not speak English or have common ailments that do not affect their work performance.  

Click here to apply for positions at Don Don Donki on FastJobs

 

In a Nutshell

Age tends to be part of hiring decisions, and not always in a positive manner. It is heartening to see more companies in Singapore opening their doors to older workers.

All four companies we spoke to agreed that mature workers are rich in experience, reliable and are assets to their workforce. 

It’s time to realize the benefits that older workers have to offer and how can companies work towards building a conducive work environment that is suitable for them.

In line with the news on the extension of the retirement age, we hope that age can be viewed as a number and not a turn away factor during the hiring process.

Know any senior citizen who is interested to apply for jobs? Share this article with them - these tips may help them clinch onto a job to support their golden years!

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