Older workers may miss out on development, with the reasoning that those nearing retirement have little interest in – or need to learn - new ways of working. But to sideline older workers, says Sue Hewitt, is to ignore their skills, experience and desire to learn. She maintains it really is possible to teach old dogs new tricks.
In the current UK economic downturn there is some indication that older workers are faring less well than their younger colleagues. A recent Dispatches programme on Channel 4 told a grim tale of ageism in recruitment and organisational obsession with youth culture. Age Concern reports that unemployment is rising faster for the over 50s than any other sector of the population. Yet there is compelling evidence showing that older does in fact equal better, so a first in – first out policy may well be harming recovery potential.
Research shows that older workers have an advantage in a complex business environment, as experience is a positive predictor of successful job performance. Those companies fully utilising the greater human capital of older workers gain better retention of organisational knowledge, higher productivity and greater loyalty. Tick box tokenism, however, will not wash as older workers are more engaged when surrounded by other satisfying older colleagues.
Ditching your most valuable asset as the ship is listing will not bring any organisation safely into the recovery harbour. The experience, commitment and productivity of older workers are a vital asset to corporate success. Companies that hang on to this resource are at a significant advantage. The role of L&D is important, as even older workers themselves fall foul of negative stereotyping. This will become an increasing problem as we move into the new 'Age of Ageing' where there are fewer of these valuable older workers around.
Work and Well Being, a special issue of the Journal of Managerial Psychology, examined some of the issues in retaining and developing older workers. Many age-related factors influence the motivation of older workers to continue to work. Some can be addressed through HR policies and L&D intervention. Increasingly older workers need to feel valued and challenged to want to go on. Offering opportunities for career development is important at all levels. Also staff will be more motivated if they can find ways to share their knowledge and experience for example, through mentoring schemes.
Addressing stereotypical beliefs and behaviour is also a key priority. A study from the USA has shown that those workers who believe that older workers lack ability and desire to develop, are less likely to engage in training and development themselves. Also anyone exposed to a negative experience where older workers either didn’t participate or performed less well in training or learning is then less willing or able to take part in learning and development. This of course supports the maxim, attributed to Henry Ford, “Whether you believe you can or you believe you can’t you’re right.”
Therefore to keep older workers engaged in development, L&D need to provide positive role models, case studies of older workers who have enthusiastically embraced development and benefited from it. They need to be taking positive action to help older workers to think more positively about themselves and their abilities. This may well be through coaching or the provision of specific personal development programmes for older workers that roll out in advance of any technical skills development that is required.
As well as developing older workers we need to make sure that we hang on to them. Increasingly, in the post-demographic time bomb era, older workers will realise their market value and vote with their feet. Making the workplace an attractive and appealing environment for older workers will be a key plank of success. Building an understanding of the relationships between the overall importance of work in a person’s life, their propensity to take part in development and their loyalty to their employer will aid strategic workforce and development planning.
Research findings show that old dogs want to learn new tricks. Employers who want to retain older workers need to ensure that their jobs promote personal development, and that their work includes adequate opportunity to acquire new knowledge and learn new skills. Those who view work as an important part of their lives, who are in full time jobs and for whom there is a financial need to work, are most likely to engage in development activities. If, as recent research from the Learning and Skills Council shows, there is less access to formal training and development for older workers, then providing them with informal ways to build skills will be a good way to fight skills obsolescence.
There is often media coverage of how Britain should remain at the forefront of economic development through creativity. There is evidence that we do indeed become wiser as we age, enabling us to improve our pattern recognition. One of the key indicators of creativity is recognition and transfer of patterns from one environment to another. The best way to foster and develop creativity amongst older workers is to provide a supportive environment where managers and colleagues provide positive feedback and asking for help is encouraged.
Although we may want to retain the best and most productive older employees, there will be those whose performance or attitude may indicate a managed exit to be the best option for all. In putting this in place it is helpful to know that those with the most anxiety and least positive attitude to retirement are those less willing to take that step. These attitudes also predispose to a worse adjustment to retirement. So if you have reluctant up and coming retirees on your hands the best solution is personal development to help them plan and set positive goals for their future, turning retirement from a threat to an opportunity.
Sue Hewitt works internationally in the fields of personal and professional development for women and older workers. Her main interests are in building confidence and self esteem and helping people think about themselves more positively. You can read her blog at http://suehewitt.typepad.com/blogpositive and download worksheets at www.milecastle.co.uk.
Related article: New tricks: Training for older workers
