AARP-LinkedIn Report Shows the Value Older Workers Bring to Multigenerational Workplaces

The modern workplace is undergoing rapid transformation, shaped by demographics, economic pressures, technological advances and evolving employee expectations. Amid these changes, businesses face persistent challenges in acquiring high-quality talent, maintaining workplace culture and integrating new technologies like artificial intelligence without disrupting teams or displacing workers. This analysis reveals that older workers contribute stability, leadership, and adaptability to multigenerational teams.

Drawing on LinkedIn platform data, this report shows that workers age 50 and older demonstrate notably higher retention rates: 85.4% of workers 50-plus hired in June 2024 remained with their employer a year later, compared to 70.6% of younger hires. This retention translates into significant cost savings, as turnover — especially in senior roles —  are costly.  

Older professionals bring an average of 15 more years of work experience and over 10 years more in leadership roles than their younger peers. This experience supports strategic thinking, decision-making and mentorship, which benefits workers of all ages by facilitating skills transfer, including in technology and AI.

Professional networks are another advantage that can benefit the multigenerational workforce: older workers’ networks are 20.4% larger and more senior — connections that serve as strategic resources for benchmarking, sharing best practices and introducing fresh ideas.

While older workers have historically listed fewer tech skills in their LinkedIn profiles, the gap is closing. Over the past five years, disruptive tech skills among older workers increased by 25%, and their overall tech skill share rose, positioning them for AI-resilient roles. These roles rely on human-centric skills — leadership, judgment, collaboration — that AI cannot easily replicate. Nearly half of older workers hold positions insulated from AI disruption, compared to 42.2% of younger workers.

LinkedIn Learning data shows that older professionals are increasingly engaging in tech-focused training, narrowing the age gap in technology learning from 31.1% to 10.7% between 2022 and 2025. This trend underscores adaptability and alignment with employer needs.

Employers who embrace a multigenerational workforce unlock untapped value. Older workers offer expertise, leadership and adaptability, while younger colleagues contribute fresh perspectives and digital fluency. Together, they create complementary, resilient and high-performing teams ready for the future. Recommendations for employers include recognizing the value of older workers, fostering networking across generations, investing in continuous learning, developing inclusive technology strategies and adopting skills-based, age-blind hiring practices.

For more information, please contact Rebecca Perron at rperron@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.