One of the features defining our globalized world is a diverse workforce. Since many large enterprises are now being spread internationally, there is a demand for people belonging to different cultures, nations, and ages gather to work more efficiently as a team.
There is no denying that negative perceptions and stereotypes portraying ‘older workers’ as difficult, slow, expensive and not tech savvy have had an impact on the hiring intentions of employers and recruiters.
Despite research and case studies finding that mature workers actually offer in many cases a better return on investment for business, mature workers face an uphill battle in the recruitment process.
Key Takeaways:
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Employees who are older are often professional, punctual, and dedicated, not to mention that they can bring a wealth of experience and knowledge with them.
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Make sure that your job listing doesn’t exclude or discourage older candidates from applying by paying attention to the language and terms used.
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You can take advantage of the unique value brought to the table by more mature workers by setting up or encouraging mentorships between older and younger employees.
6 Reasons There’s a Place for Mature Workers
Here are 6 reasons to consider recruiting a mature worker onto your team:
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Dedication. Mature employees are dedicated and tend to work more efficiently and often have a higher level of productivity. Mature workers love to work and for the most part do their jobs very well and this will save your company money as they won’t make mistakes and might even spot the errors of their younger colleagues.
Mature workers are highly devoted to what they are doing. They do their best to meet all the deadlines and feel satisfied and be proud of the results.
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Punctuality. More mature workers are used to getting up early, and are less likely to stay out late on a week night! Companies accustomed to hiring mature workers always see them get to work early so that they are ready to start on time.
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Sincerity. Honesty and sincerity come naturally for most mature workers. It is predefined by their values and strong principles. As the years go by, people tend to realize how important it is to be genuine, especially in the workplace.
Apart from the fact that mature workers have a great deal of experience, they are always willing to share their experience with their younger co-workers as well.
An excellent way to tap into this knowledge is to arrange for a mature age worker to mentor a younger employee. The passing on of wisdom from old to young is a part of every culture around the world and it is equally valuable in the business world.
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Listening. To be a good listener is not always easy, especially today when so many of the younger generation have their own (fairly strong) opinions and often want to express them without always listening to others.
In this respect, more mature workers are perfect employees as they do listen carefully and therefore can be trained fairly quickly.
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Flexibility. Mature employees generally have more life commitments revolving around extended family, hobbies, volunteer work, holidays and caring for others. So offering them more flexible working hours is a good way to entice them back into the workforce or encourage them to stay with you longer.
The emergence of telecommuting, video conferencing and other advances in communication mean that you can provide mature age workers with the flexibility they want and still be in constant contact.
Bear in mind though that, as with the implementation of any flexible working arrangement, mature age or otherwise, you need to negotiate terms and boundaries, so that productivity and team participation are not compromised and can be effectively measured.
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Fewer workplace politics. Mature workers are typically less interested in petty workplace politics. They tend to keep their focus on their work rather than participating in insignificant politics within the organization.
How to Bring in More Mature Workers
If you are keen to make your organisation mature-age-worker friendly, but not exactly sure how to go about it, here are some tips to help you get started, both in recruiting and retaining talented and experienced older employees:
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Review job advertisements to ensure age-friendly content
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Avoid words such as dynamic, fast-paced, young
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Advertise where older people are more likely to see it, such as specialist job boards targeting mature workers
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Ensure hiring managers are educated on the benefits of hiring mature workers, removing any unconscious bias that may exist
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Formally acknowledge mature workers in your diversity policy
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Review your organisation’s workforce age profile
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Implement an intergenerational mentor program between employees
Older Employees FAQs
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Are older people less likely to get hired?
Yes, older people are often less likely to get hired. While discrimination laws prohibit the exclusion of candidates based on age, many companies and recruiters do still prefer younger candidates. It can be difficult for older people to get the attention or recruiters even with their increased experience.
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How do I attract older employees to job listings?
You attract older candidates to job listings by offering flexibility and accomodation. It is important to recognize that older employees might have a different set of needs than younger employees. Be sure your company does what it can to help meet those needs and provide any necessary accommodations for employees.
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Will hiring older workers decrease efficiency?
No, hiring older workers will not decrease efficiency. As long as your team is strong and has effective procedures established, hiring older workers does not automatically harm workplace efficiency.
Final Thoughts
Mature workers are often associated with a high level of reliability, professionalism, and valuable listening skills. Thus, they are qualified and powerful enough to provide competition for the younger generations.
Don’t neglect older workers when looking for candidates, and you’ll find that not only are they perfectly capable of being part of the workforce, but they have their own unique advantages as well.
- The Future Of Work
Author
Michael Overell
Michael Overell is a seasoned entrepreneur and business leader with a proven track record in building companies, products, and teams in both startup and hyper-growth environments. Currently, he serves as a key executive at ClassDojo, where he is responsible for driving revenue growth and helping children around the world access quality education. Michael is also actively involved in investing and providing support to promising foreign founders looking to break into the US market through his work with Antipodes.
