Phoenix Group has dropped the words “energetic” and “enthusiastic” from its job adverts in a bid to attract older applicants.
The London-based long-term savings, insurance and retirement giant told the Daily Mail that it would avoid using “younger-age stereotypical words” when writing job postings amid concerns that people over 50 were ruling themselves out of applying.
The company added that it would also be banning the word “innovative,” which it said could put off older jobseekers, and replace it with “contributing new ideas” or “problem solving.”
“We always look to attract the best people for roles at Phoenix Group and to take an inclusive approach in our recruitment,” said Andy Briggs, Phoenix Group chief executive officer, in a statement. “Using language which doesn’t deter any age group is an important part of that.”
“Research has also shown that some words such as ‘enthusiastic’ and ‘energetic’ can deter older workers, this is not because people’s enthusiasm changes with age, but because some people will rule themselves out of even applying if they feel this is meant for a younger audience and they don’t believe they are wanted,” he added.
The company also said that it would be assessing where it placed its advertisements to ensure they reached older applicants.
Phoenix Group operates several prominent insurance brands, including Standard Life, Sun Life, and ReAssure. The firm boasts a workforce of more than 7,000 employees spread out in the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Austria.
About 44% of the company’s staff are over 45-years old, according to its website. It is currently looking to fill more than 80 job vacancies.
