- HR must eradicate the biases that still exist in the hiring process.
- In the coming years, this age group will have the highest growth rate within the labor force.
1. They can’t handle the daily demands of work
While it is true that the speed of work has significantly increased, this doesn’t mean that people who are 50 years old or more are not able to adapt to the new conditions. Furthermore, their experience makes them well organized and responsible workers that don’t waste time.
2. They can’t be re-trained
Some of the traditional functions at the workplace have been replaced by automated processes. However, the brain plasticity of elder people allows them to learn new skills while they can achieve better results based on their experience.
3. They cost too much in terms of wages and benefits
While many of economic needs increase with age, flexible work plans can create a new vision and opportunities for the elder.
4. They tend to think too highly of themselves and don’t accept remarks or criticism
While this is not true in all cases, HR must pursuit the achievement of a generational balance for the firm’s personnel: it is a fact that the knowledge of the elder translates into better business results and their experience is a valuable resource to train younger employees.
5. They are unable to adapt to the digital world
The digital gap has been a big problem to the elder: however, statistics show that a very important proportion of the digital world is composed by those aged 50 or more.
Available at: SHRM
