Do you hire people for a living or are you looking into employing senior citizens in your company? Many companies here and abroad are taking the multigenerational approach in their teams, given varying approaches of employees from different age groups prove great synergy if overseen by good management skills. In this article, we’ve asked professionals and business owners about what they think are the advantages of having senior citizens in the workplace.
Kevin Mercier, a professional entrepreneur, and owner of Kevin MCR finds that senior citizens are detail-oriented and take immense pride in their work.
“After spending years managing all kinds of workers, I have come to the conclusion that older workers are far more detail-oriented and attentive. Workers add an intangible value that rubs off on all employees and can save the business thousands of dollars. In fact, one of my older workers saved my business more than $2000 on one mailing job, the 73-year-old worker identified that all the ZIP codes were off by one digit. Neither my mailing house nor my highly paid marketing manager had noticed this.”
“This is something that I found lacking in my younger workers. Pride in a job well done has become a rare commodity among younger workers. Over the years I have observed that my younger employees often want to put in their time and leave. While my older workers are more willing to stay late and get the job done because of their sense of pride in the final product.”
As per Charles Leduc, Chief Operations Officer of Mold Busters and an author, what senior citizens lack in speed, they compensate in quality.
“Do younger people have the same pride in their work that prior generations have?: After hiring a senior a couple of years ago, the first thing that I noticed was the pride that he took in his work. Our younger workers do a great job, but they do not possess the same dedication, focus, and attention. Granted, the younger workers may move a bit faster, but in mold remediation, quality is needed before speed. We have benefited even further by using him as an example to other workers and encouraging them to be as efficient, organized, and attentive to detail. He takes his time in teaching them and is a master communicator because he is a master listener. Hiring a senior citizen has been a win/win for us.”
From Conex Boxes’ co-founder Teri Shern, decades of experience from senior citizens is an irrefutable edge to their company.
“One of the advantages of having senior citizens in the workplace is the experience that they bring to it. Obviously, senior citizens have been working for a very long time and, as a result, they’ve built up extensive knowledge and experience about the work that they do. Despite the rapid pace of change that occurs these days in business, there are certain things that just don’t change. Businesses can leverage the experience that senior citizens bring to the company to make more informed decisions and improve specific aspects of it.”
Vaibhav Kakkar, the founder and CEO of Digital Web Solutions, shared that age, despite being frowned upon by other employers, has been a trump card for his company in the long run.
"When it comes to the cost of an employee, older workers are perceived to be more expensive than younger employees. However, long-term consequences often outweigh the short-term expenditures, such as rising health insurance rates.
Generally speaking, elderly workers come up for work on time and do not move jobs. As a result, companies can save money by not having to replace employees frequently. However, you don't have to constantly look for new employees when you have an older workforce.
Additionally, the experience of more senior members of the workforce can be invaluable in developing the team's younger members. To retain more long-term employees, you need to pass on their knowledge and experience to younger staff. As a result, labor costs can be reduced in businesses with a high retention rate.”
Jonathan Tian, Co-Founder of Mobitrix, a US-based smartphone solution provider shared the following key points:
“Globalization has substantial ramifications for workforce diversity. As commercial organizations develop globally, people of many ages, ethnicities, and ethics join forces. Unlike the corporate world, the startup world hires new graduates and young people. This has its advantages, as youth are more open to new ideas and moving the startup to the next level. They see the world differently, and this is more true. While older people may not always show the same excitement or energy, their expertise is as vital as a young talent's.
Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of recruiting older individuals can provide you with a clear understanding of what to expect and how to train your staff to fulfill the company's needs and take them to the next level.”
Some key benefits of having them are:
Lastly, Shiv Gupta, Marketing Director of Incrementors Lead Generation, disproves others who claim that older generations are difficult to employ due to fast-paced technologies.
“It's unjust to say that older workers aren't up to date on technology. Workers above the age of 50 grew up with and utilized technology. Many people utilized the building blocks on which modern technology is based.That old technology from the 1980s or 1990s may be out of date, but the skills necessary to operate it are not. Older generations sometimes have greater expertise in learning and completing new things since they have done it for a long period in their jobs. Younger workers are sometimes taken aback by someone who has completed difficult jobs using what Gen Zers could refer to as primitive tools.”
It is has been proven how remarkable results can be when certain tasks are performed with sheer experience and dedication. We hope this article has helped you reach a positive decision on hiring senior citizens in your company.
