Advantages of hiring job applicants 50 and over
Why would anyone want to hire an applicant over the age of 50? Great question… and we have 50 even greater answers!
Simply ask yourself what you are looking for in an employee. What’s the answer to your employment riddle? Do you want employees who are reliable? Dependable? Knowledgeable?
If so, you’re describing the Nifty50s – the most educated generation in human history. An unparalleled work ethic. Not content with retiring at age 65. And there’s more.
What the experts say
- "The truth is, Baby Boomers understand top-line messaging and Twitter but see technology as an adjunct rather than a necessity." - Fortune Magazine
- "These Baby Boomers are continuing to work even as they reach retirement age." – Fortune Magazine
- According to a 2009 Pew survey, "nine-in-ten employed adults are either ‘completely satisfied’ (30%) or ‘mostly satisfied’ (60%) with their jobs. Older working adults are the most content: 54% say they are completely satisfied with their jobs."
- In a 2009 report on a Boston College survey of HR managers, “late-career employees were perceived most positively… with regard to having low turnover rates, having a strong work ethic, being reliable, and being loyal… in comparison to the early- and mid-career employees.”
- According to a 2009 study from the Center for Work-Life Policy comparing GenY and Boomer employees, "Eighty-seven percent of Boomers rate flexible work arrangements as important. Similar numbers of Boomers prize autonomy in their work (91%). Additionally, 75 percent are motivated to work harder by having the ability to work remotely at their discretion."
- According to data from the 2007 National Study of Business Strategy and Workforce Development, employers respond that is it "very true" that their older adult/late career employees have stronger professional networks (46.3%) and client networks (44.4%). Fewer than 30% of employers feel that it is very true that their younger (early and mid-career) counterparts have such networks.
- Employers in a 2007 study from The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility indicated that it was "very true" that late-career employees tend to have positive attributes such as high skill levels (46.7%), professional networks (46.3%), client networks (44.4%), and the desire to lead and/or supervise (36.0%).
- In the 2007 National Study of Business Strategy and Workforce Development, employers responded that it is less likely that late-career employees would look outside the company for new career opportunities. 52.3% of the respondents indicated that it was "true/very true" that early-career employees are likely to look outside of the company for new career opportunities, compared to 35.4% and 19.8% for mid-career and late-career employees, respectively.
- In the 2007 National Study of Business Strategy and Workforce Development, 26.5% of employers responded that it is "true/very true" that early-career employees have a high rate of absenteeism due to illness, compared to 16.9% for mid- and 20.7% for late-career employees.
- In a 2007 Harris survey of employees, 84% of Baby Boomers rated being "ethical" as "extremely or very important" to workplace culture. In comparison, 66% of Generation Y workers agreed.
- In a 2007 Harris survey of employees, 70% of Baby Boomers rated being "professional" as "extremely or very important" to workplace culture. In comparison, 63% of Generation X workers and 48% of Generation Y workers agreed.
- A 2007 analysis of data from the National Study of the Changing Workforce indicates that 44.4% of employers report that it is "very true" that their older adult/late career employees have stronger customer and client networks; and 46.3% of employers stated that it was very true that older employees have strong professional networks.
- In a 2006 Boston College survey of 400 private-sector employers, more than 80% of managers said that older workers' "knowledge of procedures and other aspects of the job" and their "ability to interact with customers" substantially enhanced their productivity, for both white-collar and rank-and-file workers.
- According to a 2003 report from Society for Human Resource Management, 72% of the HR professionals who responded to the Older Workers Survey indicated that one advantage to hiring older workers was their willingness to work different schedules.
