levels of employee engagement, greater job satisfaction, lower levels of stress and absence, and reduced staff turnover, all of which are important factors in improving productivity and business performance. ? But the introduction of flexible working for older workers with the specific aim of retaining valuable, knowledge, skills and experience during a period of financial hardship provides a new angle on the business case, which, given the data in the early parts of this article, should be of considerable interest to public sector employers. ? It is interesting to reflect that, just as some public sector pension provisions make it all too easy to shed the most valuable older workers, the more recent provisions on draw-down of pension by those who continue to work are conducive to such workers continuing to offer their expertise, but with shorter working hours and lower up-front payroll costs. ? Exploring flexible working by older employees The report from Age UK covers the issue of flexible working for older people more generally, noting that, against the background of dramatic demographic changes, extending working life makes good sense for people, business and society. In the light of the changes to the statutory provisions regarding compulsory retirement, the report aims to make the case to ensure that the government delivers on its stated intention to extend the right to request flexible working to cover all workers, so that more inclusive and imaginative approaches to flexible working will be stimulated. ? It seeks to provide a valuable resource