Wine. Cheese. Liquor. Balsamic vinegar and cast iron. Oh, and jeans.
So many things around us improve with age. They become more flavorful, they perform better and they’re so much more comfortable. But if that’s the case, then why is it that when it comes to hiring older workers, we automatically assume the opposite?
to hire or not to hire?
When asked whether age is a competitive advantage or disadvantage for job seekers, over two-thirds of 10,000 companies surveyed answered the same way: hiring older workers is a liability, not an asset. That dovetails with information from the AARP: among American workers in the 45-72 year-old age bracket, two-thirds report that they’ve experienced age-related discrimination in the workplace.
Among other things, potential employers and HR teams often take it as given that older workers are:
- Not tech-savvy
- Less productive
- Unable to learn new skills
- Inflexible
- Mentally slower
But what if the opposite is true?
What if research shows not only that older workers aren’t a liability; they actually have an immense positive impact not only on their coworkers but on your bottom line?
why hiring older workers is so great for business
Contrary to conventional wisdom (or lack thereof), businesses and companies that hire older workers see immediate positive results.
Here are some of the benefits your business stands to gain by hiring older workers:
- Experience. This is hands-down one of the greatest assets older workers have. No matter which industry you’re in, no amount of training can match the skill set, intuitive understanding and decision-making skills that are direct products of experience.
- Adaptability. Millenials and Gen-Z employees are functioning in more or less the same world they were born into. But older employees — Gen X and back — have seen the world revolutionize itself within their lifetimes. These people who are running their lives from their smartphones and communicating with their colleagues via Slack and Asana all grew up on rotary phones and 35 millimeter cameras. That takes an ability to adapt and a willingness to learn new skills; both are huge assets to employers.
- Stability. American businesses spend a huge amount of time, effort and money in recruiting, onboarding and training new employees. Now think about this: Median tenure of workers ages 55-64 is 9.9 years. But for workers ages 25-34, that number drops to 2.8 years. So by hiring older workers you save time and money — plus the benefits of team members who know your business almost as well as you do.
- Cognitive skills. Older workers have better cognitive skills than younger ones? That sounds hopelessly counterintuitive. But when it comes to all the mental skills you want in an employee — management, leadership, communication, not to mention empathy — older workers have a hands-down advantage.
- Focus. For the most part, older workers have put all or most of the big-ticket items in life behind them. Their kids are grown, their mortgage is paid, and they have a lot more time and mental space to devote to their jobs. And their performance and productivity levels show it.
hiring older workers benefits younger workers, too.
Beyond all the other advantages, older workers serve as role models and mentors to their younger team members. Whether it’s their life experience, decision-making skills, calm in a crisis or just general workplace wisdom, older employees have a lot to contribute to younger ones.
Above all, your older employees show the rest of your team that age is only a liability if you let it be one.
Consider Remote Hiring
Now is a great time to take advantage of the benefits of remote recruitment and staffing. If your company is looking for the right employee to join your team, the recruiters at Outsourcing to Israel have the expert knowledge to get you top American talent, with the education and experience you need. They are ready to take your call today at (847) 677-6477, or email [email protected].