MAY TRADE NEWS Warehouse complex proposed for Peterborough Local authorities urged to help businesses improve recycling Business leaders lose faith in the Labour government Sole traders join forces on the Isle of Wight FPB calls for government to cancel fuel duty increase Consumers get better protection from rogue traders Health and beauty sector will grow despite economic slowdown Credit crunch hits wholesale and retail businesses' cash flows CBI reports manufacturers expect to increase prices Businesses attack new agency worker rules Credit crunch 'has not stopped owners selling their businesses' BRC stresses UK firms do not use exploitative suppliers OFT targets retailers who claim to be closing Carbon Trust urged to support small firms London business buck trend as sales increase Bank charges 'could harm small business Small businesses 'could be hurt by extended flexible working rules' BRC reports gloomy sales figures Businesses urged to embrace rail network Business pessimistic about economic future Fuel duty rises 'should be postponed to help businesses and consumers' Report calls for better government support of small businesses Businesses asked for bribes to win contracts Small businesses hit by staff absences Small businesses 'turn to older employees to plug skills gap' Businesses warned of continuing economic slowdown Tories pledge to support small suppliers and local businesses Continuity plans 'vital for small firms' Manufacturers force to pass rising costs on to customers Oxfordshire Retailers Flex Their Muscle FSB steps up campaign to protect local suppliers Small firms 'are turning to bridging loans to maintain cash flows' Government looks to help business by streamlining consumer laws Business disappointed by interest rate hold Shop prices 'only rising slowly' Postal competition 'has not helped small wholesalers' Small firms are turning to bridging loans to maintain cash flows South-west's roads 'need to be improved to help wholesalers' Retailers see April increase in shoppers Government urged to involve small firms in tax forum Good online retail practice satisfies customers Small retailers urged to embrace gift card schemes Commission inquiry not doing enough for small retailers Hornby buys model car maker Corgi Trade News Archive   April 08   March 08   February 08   January 08 Subscribe to our newsletter   Go to The Wholesaler UK Directory 13th May 2008 Small businesses 'turn to older employees to plug skills gap' Owners of small businesses in the UK are increasingly opting to hire older workers, a new report has claimed. Research from the Tenon Forum thinktank showed that 66 per cent of small business owners believed that hiring people aged over 50 was an excellent way to solve the skills shortage in the country. Worryingly, the study found that 45 per cent of small business owners said they were concerned about the level of skills that school leavers and graduates had when they entered the workplace. One third (34 per cent) of SMEs said graduates were not well equipped for the workplace and 31 per cent said many young people lacked the basic literacy and numeracy skills needed in a job. "Staffing issues are a constant concern for entrepreneurs, with huge amounts of time and money going into recruiting and retaining employees who have the right skills and talents," Andy Raynor, chief executive of Tenon, explained. "Older members of staff can bring huge benefits to an organisation and we expect to see more and more entrepreneurial businesses taking a flexible approach to recruitment and utilising this valuable skills base." Tenon Forum thinktank member Khalid Aziz added that business owners were becoming increasingly "frustrated with a lack of work-readiness amongst graduates".   (c) 2008 Adfero Ltd.