Parkdean Resorts signs the Age-friendly Employer Pledge

Parkdean Resorts, owner of Cayton Bay Holiday Park in Scarborough, has become the first holiday park operator to sign the Age-friendly Employer Pledge, reinforcing its commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive and multi-generational workplace.

Established by the Centre for Ageing Better, the nationwide programme was launched to make workplaces more age-friendly and aid sector-wide skills shortages in light of record vacancies, with UKHospitality reporting that vacancy rates in the hospitality sector are up 93 per cent compared to pre-pandemic[1].

By signing the pledge, Parkdean Resorts has signalled that it values the experience, skills and dedication that over 50s can offer, and has committed to take action where necessary to ensure that its recruitment, development and retention procedures are inclusive for those looking to get back into work or kickstart a new career later in life.

In addition to signing the Age-friendly Employer Pledge, Parkdean Resorts collaborates with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and its government-backed Return to Work Scheme. As part of the scheme, the company welcomes over 50s to its 66 holiday parks throughout the UK to learn about careers with Parkdean Resorts, followed by customer service training and a guaranteed interview.

Additionally, Parkdean Resorts is now a member of Rest Less, the digital community for 50 to 70-year-olds that offers guidance and resources on jobs and careers, volunteering, health, lifestyle and more. As a recognised age diverse employer, all of Parkdean Resorts’ vacancies are now advertised on the platform to its community of over one million members.

Becky Cain, Wellbeing & Inclusion Manager at Parkdean Resorts, said: “At Parkdean Resorts we celebrate difference, so we’re proud to have such a diverse and multigenerational workforce across our parks. With over 50s making up 21 per cent of our workforce, we’re delighted to be signing the Age-friendly Employer Pledge to showcase the huge amount of experience, knowledge, and mentorship they bring to the team.

“Whether they’re looking to get back into work after time out or are after a whole new career, we can offer over 50s all the support and training they need to succeed. You don’t need years of experience to work at our parks – just reliability, a can-do attitude, and the drive to work as part of a team.”

Tracy Riddell, Senior Programme Manager for Age-friendly Employment at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “We’re thrilled that Parkdean Resorts has become the first holiday park operator to sign the Age-friendly Employer Pledge. Workers in their 50s and 60s are key to filling the significant employment gaps impacting the hospitality industry, but they’re often overlooked.

“We look forward to working with Parkdean Resorts to build on their inclusive workforce and empower more over 50s to contribute their skills to the parks’ teams.”

Stuart Lewis, Chief Executive at Rest Less, said: “Parkdean is a fantastic example of an age inclusive employer. It has committed to age diversity within its teams by signing the Age-friendly Employer Pledge and it is actively recruiting people aged 50 and older to improve representation of this demographic within its workforce.

“Parkdean Resorts offers older workers fantastic flexibility through its shift patterns and flexible working policies and practices. It also offers tailored support for the many life transitions that come with this stage of life. We’re delighted to be partnering with Parkdean Resorts on their age inclusivity journey and look forward to supporting them attract, retain and retrain more mature workers.”

For more information on the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge, visit: https://ageing-better.org.uk/age-friendly-employer-pledge

Parkdean Resorts owns and operates 66 holiday parks throughout the UK. The results of the company’s 2023 staff engagement survey, completed by more than 5,500 full-time employees, revealed favourable engagement standing at 81% - up 3 points on 2022’s results, and a massive 16 points higher than the industry average for the hospitality sector.

Across the company, 94% of employees agreed with the statement, “I know what I need to do to be successful in my role”, 92% agreed that “My manager genuinely cares about my wellbeing”, and 91% of team members across the company agreed “I feel I am part of a team”.

[1] UKHospitality – The UK’s hospitality workforce strategy: Fixing the crisis (May 2022)