How Can Leaders Attract And Retain Older Workers?

Older workers are a major asset to a workplace. Research has found that they are skilled and experienced, stay in jobs longer than younger workers and tend to have a strong work ethic. Nevertheless, many organizations put far less effort into attracting and retaining older workers compared with their younger peers.

Furthermore, ageism (discrimination against people on the basis of their age) is a significant issue. A study by the U.K.’s Centre for Ageing Better found that half of adults aged over 50 in England had experienced age discrimination in the past year, with that most commonly taking place at work.

Leaders who successfully engage with older employees will reap the benefits of their mindset, knowledge and experience. So, how can they tap this deep talent pool?

1. Move away from default working patterns

“Working patterns and expectations are still designed for people who are able to dedicate almost all their energy to their work,” says Catherine Garrod, founder of consultancy Compelling Culture, author of Conscious Inclusion and guest lecturer for executive MBA programmes at Cambridge Judge Business School. “And that only really works if someone else is taking care of everything on the home front. This isn’t the reality for most people in 2024, and at mid-life the demands outside work can be greater than ever.”

People at mid-life tend to have skills and experiences that are highly valued by employers. Nevertheless, this demographic group may also have defined ideas about what they want the second half of their life to look like. “Perhaps they want – or need – to split their contribution to work, wellbeing, family or community,” Garrod suggests. “Maybe there’s a personal ambition they’d like to achieve. Or the loss of a family member has inspired a reflection on their own mortality.”

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Yet most employers continue to advertise full-time vacancies by default. This, Garrod argues, immediately rules out – or pushes out – large numbers of people, despite them having the skills and experiences needed for the roles.

Insurer Zurich UK has accessed a new talent pool by advertising all full-time roles on a flexible, part-time or job share basis since 2019. During that time, female part-time hires have increased almost four-fold and male part-time hires have more than doubled. Furthermore, in just two years internal part-time promotions increased by 167%.

2. Embrace older workers as mentors

Another way that leaders can attract and retain older workers is by encouraging them to act as mentors to younger colleagues. Sara Daw, co-founder and group CEO of The CFO Centre, a provider of outsourced CFO services, believes that leaders should tap into the accumulated knowledge of older workers by embedding mentoring programs into their organization.

“In this way, these seasoned veterans who have ‘been there, seen it, done it’ can share their learnings and mastery of specialist subject areas, while guiding those who are less experienced,” she says. “Who wouldn’t want to have access to the wisdom and insight gathered throughout successful careers of over 30 to 40 years?”

Daw believes that these interactions between generations result in the meshing of the “tried and tested” with the “new and experimental”. As a result, they enable leaders to retain knowledge while building platforms for innovation.

“Championing older workers in this way goes against the bias that these individuals are ‘past it’ and less relevant,” Daw says. “In fact, the opposite is true. They have much to give and learn.”

3. Recognize that the future isn’t just about the young

“It’s not just Gen Y and Z who are seeking purpose at work,” says Marilyn Waite, author of Sustainability at Work. “More experienced workers are now seeking meaningful roles that align with their values and provide a sense of accomplishment.” An example of older people wanting to make a difference is Third Act, a U.S. community of people aged over 60 who are working to improve climate change and democracy.

“People seek careers in sustainability for many reasons, including social and environmental concern and long-term security,” Waite says. “Industries that focus on improving social and environmental outcomes often offer long-term viability and resilience, which translates to more stable employment prospects.”

She adds that many incumbent industries are facing significant disruption due to shifts in customer demand and new innovations. As a result, careers that align the quadruple bottom line – social, environmental, intergenerational and economic wellbeing – are viewed as more future-proof.

“Sustainability careers provide a sense of contributing to something larger than oneself,” Waite explains, “which can be deeply satisfying and motivating for people in later stages of their careers.”

4. Build digital confidence and curiosity

In an era of fast-moving technological change, older employees need support to keep fostering their digital curiosity and confidence, advises Andrew Grill, an AI expert, keynote speaker and author of Digitally Curious.

“Acknowledge that there are two ‘tribes’ in every organization,” he says, “those who are ‘born digital’ and more experienced workers who can be classified as ‘going digital’. But there are actionable steps that will help both tribes thrive in a digital world.”

First, it is important to offer continuous learning opportunities that are accessible and relevant. “Encourage ‘going digital’ employees to participate in digital upskilling workshops tailored to their needs,” suggests Grill. “Frame it as personal development, not just a part of the role. The two tribes can also mutually benefit from each other’s experiences, so try pairing ‘going digital’ employees with ‘born digital’ colleagues in mentoring programs.”

Grill also advises organizing monthly sessions where ‘born digital’ and ‘going digital’ team members can share new digital tools or discover trends. It can also be a good idea to reward small achievements when employees successfully engage with new technologies. “Assigning a simple AI-based task, such as using ChatGPT to draft an email or summarize a meeting, will help team members become comfortable with AI tools and see their practical applications,” Grill explains.

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