The Case for Hiring Older Workers

Baby boomers are reaching retirement at a faster rate than millennials can replace them in the workforce, and researchers argue companies should entice older people back to work and give them meaningful, important jobs, reports the Harvard Business Review . Many people, especially those who have had long and meaningful careers, like working, and studies show older, more tenured people are more successful at being entrepreneurs. The solution is to overhaul career systems, pay systems, and recruitment and assessment systems to avoid age discrimination. Research indicates that although raw mental horsepower slips after 30, knowledge and expertise continue to gain even past 80. Evidence also suggests traits like drive and curiosity are triggers for new skill acquisition, even in late adulthood. Cognitive diversity is another competitive advantage that older workers can bring to companies.