Leslie Griffiths, 71 and not slowing down

Leslie Griffiths joined the Claibon team in April 2005 after becoming restless during his retirement. Upon meeting Leslie and seeing his enthusiasm and experience we engaged him as a temporary concierge/porter. He has become one of our clients’ most popular temporary workers and is always requested back by every property he works at. “I like Leslie because he is trustworthy and reliable and he is not one to let me down,” says John Donovon, Resident Head Porter of a London block. “On his first day Leslie dealt with a security problem, communicating clearly with concerned residents. Site staff are vital to our service,” said Andrew Meikle of Hawksworth Management Ltd.Leslie has worked in a variety of roles throughout his working life, starting off as a Mechanic in the Royal Air Force before settling into the residential block management industry in 1982. We feel he has found his niche as his breadth of skills and high levels of customer service are a great combination. With the introduction of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 on 1st October, Leslie is an example of the often overlooked advantages of employing mature candidates.

Even before the new legislation Claibon endeavoured to promote the employment benefits of all candidates, young and old. Claire Gibbons, Claibon, comments: “I don’t believe that legislation is enough to bring about changes in behaviour and in the workplace. Legislation can only help to change attitudes combined with employer education and training coupled with the implementation of policies and procedures.” In the past decade there have been three significant changes: an ageing population; skilled persons from abroad; and more young people staying in education for longer. The effect is the market is becoming more competitive and recruiters have an older, and more diverse workforce to choose from.