I post a lot about men’s health and I’ll continue to do so, but I’m going to also start talking about age positivity and what we can do to tackle ageism in the workplace.
With the work I do with clients and corporates I see a lot of people leaving the workforce in their 50s, either because they feel unfulfilled, or that their values no longer align with their role or company or because they are let go as part of restructuring.
What’s alarming is the struggle people then have to find another role.
Organisations are missing out on a wealth of experience and value by discounting older employees.
Research highlights the significant value of retaining and hiring employees over 50, as well as the potential costs to businesses when this talent is lost.
Value of Older Employees:
Employees aged 50+ tend to be the most engaged across generations, with 65% considered engaged compared to younger employees (58-60%). This higher engagement correlates with better business outcomes, such as increased revenue from even small boosts in engagement
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Older workers bring critical qualities like experience, professionalism, a strong work ethic, and institutional knowledge. These attributes often outweigh concerns about slightly higher labor costs, which modern benefits and reward programs have minimised
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Retaining this demographic helps avoid the costly “brain drain” of losing institutional expertise, which can disrupt operations and necessitate expensive onboarding and training for replacements.
Cost of Losing Older Employees:
In the UK, an ageing workforce is particularly impactful in sectors like manufacturing and the public sector, where a significant proportion of workers are over 50. This demographic shift is prompting organisations to rethink policies on job design, recruitment, and staff well-being
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The costs of losing older employees extend beyond recruitment and training. There is also the risk of eroding team morale, loss of client relationships built over time, and reduced organisational stability.
Economic and Business Case:
A 2018 CIPD survey highlighted that organisations expect to make significant changes to adapt to an ageing workforce, especially in recruitment, job design, and employee benefits. These adjustments can provide competitive advantages in employee retention and performance
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Organisations that embrace age diversity benefit from better problem-solving, mentorship opportunities, and higher employee loyalty.
We need to be doing more and I see the challenge for organisations is multi-faceted:
– Ensuring existing older employees feel fulfilled in their role
– Don’t discount the older demographic when recruiting for roles
– Work on improving inter-generational communication
– Look at aligning individual values with those of the organisation
There’s clear upside for the individual and organisation in such an approach.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic or maybe you’ve experienced ageism? Let me know below…
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