9 January, 2023
In a society consumed with youth and success, we’re often programmed to believe that when you’re between 20 and 30, you’re living though the “window of opportunity” – creating major age and generational issues in the workplace.
Perhaps one of the biggest and most problematic types of bias we face is age bias, despite age offering the gift of extensive experience and broader wealth of knowledge.
It’s time to debunk ageist assumptions, adding value to organisations by recruiting older people and acknowledging their potential by giving them meaningful, important jobs to accelerate business performance.
More than a third (36%) of 50–70-year-olds say they feel at a disadvantage when applying for jobs due to their age. With age bias being the least scrutinised and most widely accepted form of discrimination in the UK, older people are often paid less than younger people employed to do the same job.
With growing numbers of our population working later in life, it has never been more important for employers to build age-inclusive workforces. Otherwise, they risk missing out on the numerous advantages a multigenerational workforce has to offer. Furthermore, in the UK with the increase of ‘brain drain’ resulting from migration and early retirement we need to explore all options if we want to maintain levels of employment in our businesses.
We’ve all heard the stigma and preconceptions when older and younger generations are compared; the world and employment are both more digital than ever before, which is something that younger recruits can better adapt to. It is a preconception that has plagued recruitment, with age bias still prevalent.
However, recent studies have found that three quarters of employers in England agreed that older workers’ experience is crucial to the success of an organisation, enriching and improving the working environments they’re in.
Using both professional and personal experiences to render their judgement, older workers utilise their past adventures to enrich their business offering. Employers must utilise the older generation if they are to remain competitive, understanding the value of experience during the recruitment process.
In many cases, no amount of training can equate to the decades of wisdom and work experience an older worker brings to the table, enabling a rounded, inclusive view of company challenges.
Research shows that older employees are more likely to show up to work on time, and less likely to call in sick, demonstrating a level of maturity and professionalism that is yet to be matched by younger generations.
Confidence is often the result of experience. As we age, we become more comfortable with who we are and what we know. This assurance and expertise will prove extremely valuable to a business environment designed to welcome and embrace new, exciting ideas.
Certain levels of confidence will also have an impactful influence on other, younger members of staff, showing them how to express themselves positively and professionally.
After launching Marmion in her 50s, our founder Janet McGlaughlin urges older people to “go for it! Adapt your own way of thinking and change the narrative. And remember, learning doesn’t stop, and your experience holds huge value – don’t limit yourself!”
If you’re an older person looking for a new and exciting opportunity or an employer looking to develop a multigenerational workforce, the team at Marmion will help you on your journey – contact us today.
