We are an aging population, yet:
• Over two-thirds of companies considered older age a competitive disadvantage.
• Many companies believe that older people are “overpaid” and can be “replaced with younger workers” who can do the job just as well.
• If you are older (i.e., 45 or over), you are likely to be considered less capable, less able to adapt, or less willing to roll up your sleeves and do something new than your younger peers.
In the face of these depressing statistics, Josh Bersin and Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic present the case for hiring older workers in this Harvard Business Review article.
Challenging the ‘retirement myth’
Bersin and Chamorro-Premuzic propose that we must all challenge the myth propagated by the retirement industry that people over the age of 65 should retire. Instead, they suggest that continuing to work can offer individuals many benefits as work can give us:
• An opportunity to give value to others and the community.
• A network of friends and associates to be with.
• Something to do with your intellectual and physical energy.
Actions to combat ageism
The article proposes eight actions organisations can take:
1. Give older people titles and roles that let them contribute their expertise.
2. Offer accommodations for flexible work.
3. Look at pay equity by job and level, not tenure.
4. Bring age diversity into your DEI programs.
5. Give older workers managerial roles, supervisor roles, and mentor roles.
6. Recruit older people.
7. Coach and teach recruiters not to discriminate by age.
8. Teach younger leaders about reverse mentoring.
You can access the full article here.
