- An insurance group is replacing words like "enthusiastic" on job ads to make them more inclusive.
- Phoenix Group wants to avoid words that could be perceived as appealing only to younger workers.
- The pandemic has forced companies to rethink their approach to recruitment and retention.
An insurance company is changing the way it words its job applications, replacing words like "energetic," "enthusiastic," and "innovative" to avoid putting off older workers.
Phoenix Group, one of the UK's largest insurance providers, wants to avoid words that could be perceived as appealing only to younger workers. It hopes the move will encourage more people over 50 to apply.
Labor shortages, as well as a general shift in the mindset of many workers, is causing companies to reassess how they retain employees, and the talent pools they recruit within.
Experts, backed by research, warn that the wording used on job descriptions matters. They said that if it appears biased, it could prevent people from applying and discriminate against talent from underrepresented backgrounds.
A spokesperson for Phoenix Group told Insider that words like "enthusiastic" can deter people from applying, if they feel like it's aimed at a younger generation and feel excluded.
"We haven't taken the step to ban specific words, but we will be looking to replace words such as "innovative," with specific competencies such as "contributing new ideas" or "problem solving''," they said.
Phoenix's decision is part of a broader effort to remove bias from its recruitment process. Measures include scanning applications for gender or ethnicity bias, said the spokesperson.
The company also plans to ensure that adverts are placed more broadly so that they're not just seen by younger people.
Phoenix Group employs 7,000 workers in the UK, 44% of whom are aged above 45.
In 2017, its CEO Andy Briggs was appointed as the UK government's Business Champion for Older Workers, a voluntary role that involves raising awareness and helps support businesses to hire and retrain older workers.
As people's working lives get longer there have been frequent calls to combat ageism, which many people say they experience when applying for roles.
A 2021 report by over-50's interest group AARP, estimated that the exclusion of older workers could cost the US economy nearly $4 trillion by 2050.
Those concerns have been exacerbated by the pandemic, which saw many over 50's leave the labor force early, either through choice or as a result of other factors like ill-health or caring responsibilities.
Another UK Insurance company, Saga, announced in December that it is giving employees paid leave when their grandchild is born. Others, including the fashion e-tailer ASOS, have started offering paid leave to staff going through menopause.