Leveraging the Mature Professional in the Workplace

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The CHRO View From the Front Lines of the War on Talent, April 24, 2015, www.hrpolicyfoundation.org

The Rationale • The report, "A Business Case

for Workers Age 50+: A Look at the Value of Experience 2015," commissioned by AARP and conducted by Aon Hewitt, outlines the value that the 50+ worker brings to the workforce and emphasizes the critical nature of recruiting and retaining this talent.

Myth: Older workers are more likely to be burned out and less productive than their younger colleagues. Reality: According to a 2009 report from the Sloan Center on Aging & Work, hiring managers gave older employees high marks for loyalty, reliability and productivity. Myth: Older workers are unequipped to multitask and juggle the technological distractions of the modern office. Reality: The cognitive skills that enable us to switch between tasks can be delayed with exercise and training. Myth: Older workers aren't as creative as younger workers. Reality: Older workers have been shown to perform well when it comes to organization, writing and problem solving, among other skills — even in cutting-edge fields like computer science.

The Surprising Truth About Older Workers, Reade, N. 2013 http://www.aarp.org/work/job-hunting/info-07-2013/older-workers-more-valuable.html

How do we leverage experience, industry knowledge and maturity in the organization to capitalize on insights to better the organization?

How do we plan and what tactics do we take so that the information doesn’t leave with the individual?

The CHRO View From the Front Lines of the War on Talent, April 24, 2015, www.hrpolicyfoundation.org

Has Learning and development changed with the aging workforce?

What Older Workers Want, But Aren’t Getting, Eisenburg, R. Money and Work 2014 http://www.nextavenue.org/what-older-workers-want-arent-getting/

• Learning opportunities are typically geared to the early career employees.

• Older employees want and need training for new job skills citing vulnerability in its absence.

• Employers should promote culture of learning for all. • Employees need to speak up when the need exists. • Employees should also seek out learning opportunities.

What are companies doing now?

• Share experiences. • Discuss innovative practices. • Brainstorm possible approaches.