The power of older employees in the workplace
More than just work experience and expertise
In April 2023, Stepstone and Acerta conducted a large-scale survey on workplace discrimination among 2,500 working Belgians and over 500 job seekers. And what did it reveal? More than 7 in 10 job seekers said they had already been discriminated against based on age. The following figures provide some interesting food for thought….
Did you know that less than 60% of 55- to 64-year-olds are employed?
Statbel figures show that barely 6 in 10 people in the 55- to 64-year-old age range are working. So, this target group offers some attractive opportunities to successfully enter the market and ease the war for talent.
Yet we see that these workers are often overlooked due to some persistent clichés and biases. They are said to be too expensive, less willing to learn, difficult to coach, sick more often or unable to handle heavier physical work. In practice, these disadvantages are often baseless.
From prejudices to advantages
Employing older workers provides you as an employer with a whole range of wonderful benefits.
Stability and reliability
Older workers often have a strong work ethic and are loyal to their employer. They are usually less likely to change jobs, which makes for a more stable work environment.
‘Desire’ to work
When you give older workers the opportunity to continue to develop professionally, you get back a lot of gratitude and respect. As well as the ‘eagerness’ to work, which creates a positive and productive environment for achieving company goals together with younger colleagues.
Flexibly employable
Older employees often no longer have to deal with a house to pay off or young children who require attention. Being untethered makes experienced talent flexible and eager to go that “extra mile”. Also, don’t automatically assume they will demand an exorbitant salary.
A wealth of experience and expertise
Older workers have often accumulated a wealth of experience in their field. For example, consider an engineer who has been able to refine his or her technical skills over many years during numerous client projects. That person not only has the expertise but also has seen the market evolve and understands very well what the customer challenges are. All that in-depth knowledge can be very valuable to your business.
Mentoring and knowledge transfer
Older employees are perfect mentors for younger colleagues. They often look forward to sharing their experience and valuable career lessons with younger generations. This can only benefit the professional development of young talent in your organization.
Tips for a smooth collaboration between young and older
Organize diversity trainings
As an employer, you can organize training sessions to create awareness and understanding of the unique perspectives and strengths of both generations and encourage them to learn from each other.
Create mixed teams
While experienced professionals combine expertise and personal skills, young employees often excel in fresh perspectives and technological skills. The result? More innovative solutions and a more productive work environment.
Organize flexible roles and tasks
Involve your older colleagues in those tasks and projects in which their experience and expertise are most valuable. Younger employees can then be fully engaged in tasks in which they are stronger, such as technology implementations.
Invest in training opportunities
Offer older employees the chance to upskill and become familiar with new technologies and approaches. Similarly, younger workers can learn from the experience of their older colleagues.
Ensure open communication
Open dialogue between generations can help discuss challenges, expectations, and ideas, and create a positive and inclusive work environment.
Focus on diversity and inclusion in recruitment
As an employer, when you take targeted actions to attract and retain candidates of any age, it can be a valuable element of your employer branding. Clearly indicate in your job ads that both young and older talent are welcome and that you place diversity and inclusion high on the agenda.
Do you have an open position for which you are explicitly looking for an experienced employee? Then be sure to tailor your recruitment campaign to senior profiles, including the use of specific (online) recruitment channels. For example, you reach them better via Facebook than on TikTok.
By turning prejudices about older workers into valuable assets, you create a work environment where colleagues of different generations take each other to the next level and contribute to the success of your company.
