As careers lengthen, we have a responsibility to be increasingly committed to all of our employees regardless of age. VELUX France has signed a “pioneering” inter-company agreement focused on the well-being of employees over 50. The “Deed of Commitment” includes 10 key commitments on recruitment, training, job retention, career development, well-being at work, retirement and awareness of age-related stereotypes.
This spring, VELUX France and 31 other large French companies co-created and signed the agreement, thereby committing to share their best practices and review their progress and actions every year. The original agreement, signed at the Ministry of Economy , remains open and continues to attract more companies to join.
Human Resources Director at VELUX France, Jean-Marie Carrère, highlights the importance of an age-inclusive environment:
We want to make sure that no matter their age, our colleagues know they are valued. Thanks to the intercompany agreement, we now have a defined roadmap for being better at welcoming and supporting our 50+ colleagues”
Jean-Marie Carrère, Human Resources Director at VELUX France
As part of the commitment, VELUX France has intensified their efforts in building a more age inclusive environment. Initiatives to support, retain, recruit and expand the post-retirement relationship with employees over the age of 50 include...
Leverage (rather than lose) the voice of expertise
Transitional retirement agreements are another example of how VELUX France is implementing a more age-inclusive environment. Concretely, when an employee approaches retirement, they can ask for a progressive reduction in working time, with little to no impact on compensation or pension. This win-win deal offers pre-retirees flexibility and security as they transition to retired life, while allowing VELUX to anticipate and gradually transfer activities to ensure that the precious knowledge and expertise built over the years remains.
Attractive progressive retirement package and conditions have been defined and VELUX France is now in discussion with a first candidate wishing to leverage this new scheme. Based on that first experience, more active promotion for this new benefit will start.
In the coming years, VELUX France will continue to progress on the Deed of Commitment, and create a work environment with generational diversity.
As we progress on each of our commitments, we will advance on our journey of continuous improvement. VELUX FRANCE wants to fully seize this opportunity and make sure well-being at work for 50+ is fully part of our compass to drive working conditions improvement,”
Jean-Marie Carrère, Human Resources Director at VELUX France
Jean-Marie Carrère and André Dot, Regional SVP
The company's commitments towards employees over 50 years of age
The signatory companies undertake to comply with all 25 non-discrimination criteria defined by law, and in this context wish to focus on non-discrimination on age.
Indeed, this discrimination is likely to concern each and every one of us and to call into question access to rights in many areas, whether it is employment, training, health...
Because of the potential impact of this discrimination at the economic, social and human level, the signatory companies undertake to pursue an active policy on this subject through an act of commitment. In all humility, each company is committed to working on the place of the over 50s, either by highlighting existing devices or by inventing new ones.
The signatory companies will be able to follow and communicate on their commitments with the aim of co-construction and sharing of good practices. Each year, an update will be made on the progress of the actions put in place.
The deed of commitment consists of the following 10 points:
- Raise awareness and communicate to all employees and the managerial line, the commitments of this act, the importance of living well together, the strength of intergenerational and the fight against stereotypes while respecting the company's values.
- Act with kindness and respect with all our employees, throughout their professional careers, regardless of their age.
- Support the development of skills and encourage employees to commit to actions to develop their employability and to open up to new career prospects.
- Recruit people at all stages of their careers, offer opportunities throughout their working life to enable everyone to work in an inclusive environment until retirement.
- Promote the transmission of knowledge and the sharing of experience between generations by setting up dedicated systems.
- Valuing experienced employees, highlighting inspiring careers and role models to change the perception of ageism.
- Offer adapted and individualized support on health and well-being aspects throughout the career*.
- Accompany and support helping employees.
- Pay particular attention to the preparation and support of retirement (transition arrangements). At the time of departure, thank the employees by celebrating and saluting their careers.
- After departure, for those who wish, the company can offer to keep the link especially by the Alumni, or promote an associative commitment.