Article may contain sponsored links

Network Rail: Leading the Way in Creating a Diverse Workforce to Support the Customers They Serve

Network Rail is one of an increasing number of age-inclusive employers working with 55/Redefined to find and attract older staff for a myriad of age-friendly roles.

Whether you’re coming out of retirement, fancy something completely different, or to transition the skills you’ve learned from a life well lived into something new, more and more people are choosing to work beyond the traditional retirement age of 65.

In fact, official figures show that the number of 50-to 64-year-olds who are economically inactive has fallen by an estimated 129,000 since its peak in mid-2022, and the inactivity rate among over-65s has also decreased.

So perhaps it's no surprise that Network Rail is one of an increasing number of age-inclusive employers working with 55/Redefined to find and attract older staff for a myriad of age-friendly roles, supported with many perks, including flexible working hours and a range of specialist support as part of their excellent employee benefits.

And don’t just take our word for it – the company’s latest diversity and inclusion strategy showed that it employed 3,002 people over 60 and 569 people over 65; numbers that are only set to increase over the coming years.

Who Are Network Rail?

With 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts, and thousands of signals, level crossings and stations, managing Britain’s railways is no easy feat. Luckily, that’s where you come in!

Owning, operating and developing this infrastructure, Network Rail recruits employees to help manage 20 of the UK’s largest stations with the purpose of getting both people and goods where they need to be, supporting the UK's economic prosperity.

Instinctively recognised as a world leader, Network Rail is passionate about championing a diverse, equal and inclusive workforce – just like the customers it serves – and is actively hiring older workers to help run a safe, reliable and efficient railway for the whole country to enjoy.

A group of Network Rail workers at Ebbw Vale in Wales.

Network Rail is a Leader in Diversity

Paying more than just lip service to equality and inclusion, Network Rail is constantly working on policies and practices that promote diversity, all of which are published in its Everyone Matters strategy, covering everything from gender equality, to LGBTQ+ issues.

In particular, its Age Matters arm aims to develop conversation and engagement between older and younger employees, allowing a better transfer of skills and experience between generations. With an increasingly age-diverse workforce and no mandatory retirement age, Network Rail builds and supports multigenerational teams as an opportunity to create fresh ways of exchanging experiences between employees.

“We will work to increase the diversity of our workforce so that we represent the passengers that we serve up and down the country – because everyone matters,” says chief executive Andrew Haines.

Three locomotives positioned in line at Holgate Engineering.

Introducing Impressive Employee Benefits for Older Workers

Network Rail doesn’t just believe in hiring great staff – it wants to ensure you feel supported and appreciated through a long and fruitful career. Going the extra mile with its far-reaching benefits, it provides solid training and development opportunities to help enhance your knowledge and increase your confidence, as well as 28 days annual leave, a range of discounted offers and benefits including travel, healthcare, and a range of pension schemes. Greater flexible working arrangements are also given priority, for those who prefer to work reduced or compressed hours.

With older workers in mind, the company recently updated its family-friendly policy to include a carers’ leave section that introduced five days of unpaid leave for carers to use on planned appointments. Network Rail has also signed up to the Menopause Workplace Pledge – a commitment to making the company the best workplace it can be for staff experiencing the menopause.

Aiming to break the stigma and help keep people in work by offering support, guidance and making reasonable adjustments in the workplace, Network Rail has also made a commitment to become a ‘Bloody Good Employer’ to make a long-term, positive change.

Job sharing is also available for certain roles, encouraging experienced professionals to re-enter the workplace, but also enhance diversity and alternative thinking.

Customer Service is at the Core of Network Rail

With roles up and down the country, whether you’re looking to get your hands dirty as a member of the trackside engineering teams, or prefer office-based work, Network Rail may just be the age-inclusive employer you’ve been waiting for.

Interested? Browse Network Rail’s current vacancies.