Four Ways to Leverage the Veteran Workforce

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that by 2022 nearly 42 million American workers 55 and older will still be employed, reports Forbes . With veteran workers increasingly staying on the job, companies can maximize this trend for their benefit. One strategy is to tap older workers' expertise, including a wide network of connections and relationships built over multiple years. These employees can be enlisted to help find outside experts and vendors from their connections. A second tip is to leverage boomers' soft skills like networking, sales, negotiation, and relationship-building to enhance business tactics and complement younger employees. Older employees also can work with and mentor their younger counterparts on cultivating their own soft skills, familiarity with work processes, networking methods, and other techniques. Older workers also are highly engaged at work and adapt to changing environments, while their younger cohorts can share new technologies and methodology. Finally, companies should harness older workers' strong work ethic as a driver for all employees, by organizing mixed-age teams in which older workers set the tone and example for others to follow.