We have previously discussed whether or not it is harder to learn skills as we get older. This week, we’ll discuss whether or not our productivity drops as we age. There have been a few recent articles discussing this, so we have decided to put our own opinion into the conversation. With a third of all workers now over 50, businesses may be worried about hiring older workers or keeping them on board when the stereotypes suggest it would be more beneficial to employ younger workers. At the ADF, we aim to prove these stereotypes false.
The main reason why there is probably a perception that we do get less productive as we get older is due to health. As we get older, it can’t be denied that our capabilities may drop, we don’t stay young and fit forever. It’s also important to consider other factors such as menopause and other age-related health conditions hearing loss, increased muscle pain, arthritis and to the more extreme dementia. These can all affect performance at work, especially as often workers don’t feel comfortable asking for support in the workplace. This often causes employees to carry on working, potentially worsening their conditions. Furthermore, because of this perception, it means that often employers are more likely to make these workers redundant or drop them from the workforce.
However, this is not always true. Not every older person will struggle with health issues and there has been a trend that older people are healthier due to improved healthcare and improved lifestyles earlier on in a person’s life. For example, research by the British Medical Association shows that only 5% of those over 65 show signs of cognitive impairment. As we have discussed before, the media plays a part in the negative perception of generations and it has played a part in exaggerating the health problems that older people face. Rarely does the media discuss healthier older people or the fact that many mature people are still fully capable. It is very difficult to prove health without being disrespectful, therefore, employers will rely on the media and the stereotypes it presents.
Another point in favour is that older workers can be more motivated. There has been a recent drive in those who are retired to get back to the workplace echoed by various government policies. This drive can be caused by missing the social aspect of work, wanting to mentor younger people or just simply not bonding well with retirement (in America, research found that 34% of 500 people stated that they wanted to return to work to try and combat boredom). In comparison to younger workers, this means that they’ll enjoy working more as they may have less riding on their success – it has been found that younger workers often move on if there is little chance of a promotion. Continuing from this, the economy also plays a factor, with rising living costs and inflation playing a massive part in older generations wanting to return. This overall can make mature workers more productive and stay loyal, reducing costs of rehire, i.e. recruitment, training, performance dips and lower productivity.
Another factor, that we mentioned in a previous editorial, is the skills gap that persists in the digital world – particularly for older generations. There has been a perception in the world of employment, the media and society that older generations are inept at tech compared to younger generations who have grown up with it. Whilst this isn’t always true, there can be truth in it. However, in this case, it is important to remember that there are now many training courses online for people to partake in because the digital skills gap is relevant in every age group. The fast-evolving world of technology means that even those in the heart of it constantly have to learn new skills. This skills issue therefore can be fixed by constant learning (something that every worker regardless of age should have the opportunity to partake in). If a business implements training regularly to keep workers upskilled, then the matter of age then becomes irrelevant. As we discussed – anyone can learn any skill at any age as long as they are determined and persistent. This can also be motivating for employees and can also encourage better collaboration if done through groupwork, thus, improving productivity and providing better output.
When considering skills, it’s also important to consider experience. Older workers have much more experience and have had to deal with various challenges within the business world and persevere through them. Whilst they may be lacking in more “modern” skills, their background knowledge can often make them more productive in times of crises or during challenges that are similar to ones they may have faced in the past.
There has been a lot of research into the productivity of workers. It is a hard thing to measure with many different variables. Older studies would argue that mature workers are less productive but more recent studies argue that there is no correlation between age and productivity. As we previously discussed, there may be some changes in capability which are completely natural with the ageing process, however, this process also affects everyone differently and there is no way to predict someone’s future level of productivity and how their age may impact it. A key factor to play in this is recognising the challenges that older workers face and helping mitigate them. A lot of the reasons we have discussed for the decrease in productivity can all be avoided if businesses put in suitable and sustainable policies for their older workers. This will then help the business focus on utilising them for the experience and skill we mentioned in the previous paragraph.
In conclusion, the idea that older generations are less productive than their younger counterparts is a complete myth based on harmful stereotypes. Productivity levels don’t drop, there just needs to be the opportunity and ability to reshape to suit what is required, especially if a person is coming out of retirement. Not being in the workplace can have an impact as a worker may feel as though they are behind and can be left feeling lost and potentially a little alone. However, with the right support and opportunity to train, which should be readily available, older workers can be a huge asset to a business – businesses with 10% of workers Over 50 are 1.1% more productive and multigenerational companies are more innovative. These are facts we have discussed many times before. Experience is a huge benefit and can help mature workers catch up and return to their productivity levels very quickly. What other stereotypes and perceptions lead to the idea that older workers are less productive? How much truth is there in this concept? What else can be done to help bring older workers back into the workplace?
The ADF Comms Team
To respond and/or for more information, please contact the ADF Comms Team at: [email protected]