South: UniqueIQ helps older Brits to stay working longer

With the life expectancy of people aged 65 and over predicted to almost double in the next 40 years, UniqueIQ has created the IQTimecard, which helps companies to effectively manage a flexible workforce. In particular, this enables them to facilitate the needs of their older members of staff. It is commonly stressed that employers should keep teams complete by employing younger replacement workers, but implementing a system that can facilitate flexible working and part-time hours could be the step needed to keep the ageing workforce employed for longer, bringing benefits for both them and the company.

Andy Briggs, chief executive of Aviva UK and Ireland, has been recently appointed as the new “business champion for older workers”. He argues that many of the skilled, talented professionals leaving the workforce aged 50 or 60 do so to provide carer duties for parents or loved ones. Allowing flexible or part-time working positions could enable these willing workers to continue working, ensuring that businesses did not lose knowledgeable, experienced members of staff unnecessarily. Briggs believes this could potentially provide the UK economy with a £2.5 billion boost. 

David Lynes, director of UniqueIQ, said: “The UK population is living longer and as a result we can expect to see people wanting to be working for longer too, albeit with special requirements such as flexible working. Implementing professional policies to allow for this is set to become imperative for businesses looking to futureproof their operations.”

IQTimecard is an app-based time-and-attendance solution that can easily allow management to schedule and monitor an entire team of employees, no matter what their location or hours worked. An intelligent system, IQTimecard can integrate with existing HR applications such as payroll and mileage reporting software.