Recently I interviewed a young, eager and confident accountant, as a potential replacement for my retired accountant. While he didn't have the crankiness or cynicism of my retired accountant, and answered all my questions, I missed the depth of insight that comes from years of experience. I'll keep looking for someone who can use their acquired wisdom to give me the guidance and level of comfort I need to help me make decisions.
Employers, that could happen in your workplace when your older workers retire. Consider the roles they fill:
Relationship Builders: Who will nurture long-term relationships and calm irate customers?
Mentors and Trainers: Who will guide and develop less experienced employees?
Conflict Resolvers: Who will act as the voice of reason to resolve conflicts and keep teams moving forward?
Reliable Performers: Who will show up on time, take minimal days off, and consistently deliver quality work?
The reality is more people are ready to retire than there are replacements for them. This creates an urgent need for you to develop strategies to attract and retain older workers. Here are some suggestions to start implementing immediately:
A. Start holding managers accountable for supporting age-blended policies and practices, including designing work; recruiting; performance management; training, and team-building.
B. Build awareness for all employees about age, ageism, age bias and the benefits of age-inclusive workplaces.
C. Introduce coaching opportunities for older workers to transfer their knowledge and help build the confidence and expertise of less experienced employees.
D. Rewrite job descriptions so the focus in recruiting, selection and performance management is on skills, not years of experience.
F. Whenever possible accommodate the flexibility needs of older workers. Consider telecommuting, compressed work weeks, part-time hours, project-based roles, seasonal work and leaves of absence, which lets older workers continue working while enjoying partial retirement.
Employers, On Your Own Time has developed The Age Blended Workplace:
A Guide to Attract, Engage And Retain Older Workers. Contact us for a free copy.
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