The Value of Older, Mature Workers
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2007-09-14 19:02:30.200845-04:00
How are mature, experienced workers contributing to your company’s bottom line?
A Large Company’s Experience
As the director of human resources at Roche Pharmaceuticals in Nutley, NJ, Brad Smith believes his company would be hard pressed to develop and bring products to market without older workers.
"I don’t think we’d be as successful in commercializing and developing our products," he says, adding that between 30 and 40 percent of the company’s 5,000 employees are over the age of 50. “We’re hiring people with 20+ years of experience in a specific area, who are very hard to find.”
Like Smith, human resource professionals understand the unique contributions that mature workers bring to the table. Their real value comes from experience, which takes many forms. Sometimes that experience enables them to mentor other workers, lend different perspectives or introduce best practices from past employers. In the end, employers benefit because now they’ve built a collective body of knowledge that can blend old mistakes and successes with fresh ideas to streamline practices and produce more effective results.
Consider employers in the pharmaceutical industry. It can take 12 years to bring a product to market. Smith says people with an extensive industry background really understand the dynamics of this process, everything from research and development to manufacturing, often lending a bird’s eye perspective.
"At every organization, there’s a tendency to become narrow in your thinking, siloed in your specialty,” he says. “I find that workers who have lots of experience can often see beyond that and see the big picture because they have such a breadth of knowledge and experience."
He estimates that more than half of Roche’s positions require someone with extensive pharmaceutical or related industry experience. When it comes to hiring employees, he believes there’s one golden rule most, if not all, industry recruiters subscribe to - the more experience, the better.
In a Small Business
Experience can be very powerful, especially when it is used to help small companies grow and position themselves in the marketplace. Ray Rosen discovered this after launching Education Perspective, a Boston tutoring service, in January 2007. Her company’s goal was to offer convenient and affordable tutoring to preK-12 students.
Initially, she hired Ph.D. candidates at nearby colleges and teachers who were on job leave for part time work. But some teachers expected higher pay than most parents could afford. Worse yet, graduate students used the opportunity as a springboard for other jobs, sometimes dropping students after forming relationships with them. Concerned about the reputation of her fledgling company, Rosen had to change recruiting strategies and fast.
“Every experience has to be a positive one when growing a business, especially when you’re dealing with children,” she says. “I’ve always been aware that baby boomers want to work after retirement. I had also been exposed to intergenerational learning many years ago [where retirees work with students in the classroom]. That made a big impression on me.”
Rosen contacted a local senior center that offered job assistance and began hiring retired teachers. Less than six months later, six out of her 10 employees were over the age of 55. They’re perfectly suited for the job for many reasons. They’re passionate about teaching and prefer flexible, part time hours, which works especially well during the summer months when business is slower.
Even better, many create long lasting relationships with these students, their siblings and parents. That approach translates into repeat business.
Rosen is grateful for the stability that older workers offer her company. In return, she says they’re appreciative of the opportunity to actively work with students.
She says everything related to the future success of her business boils down to reputation. What better way to develop one than by hiring experienced and dedicated people?
Mature workers also bring…
Employers recognize the value of mature workers for their knowledge, experience and flexibility. There are other attributes that make mature workers an important commodity in the workplace. Here are additional examples shared by other employers:
- They serve as mentors, guiding younger or inexperienced employees
- They transfer their knowledge and life lessons to other workers
- They hit the ground running, requiring little, if any, training
- They share different perspectives from previous employers and experiences
- They tend to see the big picture, helping management make decisions that best meet company needs, both short and long term
- They add stability to the workforce
- They pay attention to detail, avoiding costly mistakes
- They recognize the importance of customer service
- They enhance the level of maturity in their workplace
- They come to work on time, preventing gaps in coverage and potentially the need for employers to pay overtime
Resources
Age Equity in Employment: an AARP Checklist for Employers
The Business Case for Workers 50+: Planning for Tomorrow’s Talent Needs in Today’s Competitive Environment
Additional Related Links
AARP recognized these companies for their best practices in managing 50+ workers.
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