The Value of Seniors in the Workplace

This fall I graphic recorded the Atlantic New Old Age Conference in NYC. There were many guest speakers whose talks ranged from care giving, to beauty and fashion, to late in life career changes.

A theme that stood out for me, mostly because I hear it in corporate meetings a lot lately too, is the value of seniors in the workplace. Even in the young High-Tech world, having older people on staff is a huge benefit. Here are three reasons why:

1. Soft Skills. Relationships are the cornerstone of any successful business. Any 50+ year-old has made their share of mistakes in this category and will bring their wisdom from those mistakes to your company. Past experience helps them to keep the big picture in mind, not sweat the small stuff, and maintain a cool head in stressful situations.

2. Knowledge. A person with a 30-year career under their belt has acquired a good deal of knowledge that is very likely transferable to any number of industries. Older knowledge workers have so much to offer, and contrary to popular belief they’re tech savvy too.

3. Networks. The result of having cultivated strong relationships over 30 years is a robust network. Hiring someone older means you get not only their knowledge and experience, but their huge network of other knowledge workers and vendors too.

There are many stigmas about aging in the US and around the world. Conferences like the Atlantic New Old Age are helping to start a dialogue to do away with that stigma and embrace age diversity as the asset it is.

Above image: Live Graphic Recording of the Idiosyncratic Fashionistas. With over 30,000 followers on Instagram, these ladies have proven that age is not a barrier to success on social media.