Wanted: Elderly Workers for Christchurch Restaurant

By: Giles Brown, The Press

New Zealand

July 16, 2008 

A Christchurch restaurant says it is recognising the value of the elderly by encouraging senior citizens to apply for waiting and kitchen jobs.

Denny's Restaurant, in Moorhouse Avenue, has vacancies for a full-time and part-time cook and waiter.

In the advert for the jobs the restaurant said "senior citizens are encouraged to apply".

Manager Neville Young said he wanted to change the "stereotype" of cafe and restaurant staff being young people.

Older people also brought qualities which might be lacking in their younger counterparts.

"There's the reliability factor because they are not prone to being party animals," Young said.

"They have a solid day-to-day work ethic. A lot of the drawbacks you might associate with younger people are gone or non-existent."

Over 55-year-olds were also able to relate well to middle-aged customers and "fill a parental role" with the younger ones.

"(The advert) leaves the door open for them. In the past it has always been young people and it has been very stereotyped," said Young.

Younger people are still free to apply for the jobs at Denny's.

Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce chief executive Peter Townsend praised the move, saying older people were often neglected in the job market.

"They can be a very flexible option for employers.

"They have probably got rid of their debt and have bought their house and don't have to bring up children and they can be very flexible about the hours and times they work," he said.

Townsend said employers needed to be adaptable in the context of increasing unemployment.

"If this restaurant chain is targeting the elderly then that's showing a bit of nous."

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