The Importance of Age Inclusion in the Workforce

The Importance of Age Inclusion in the Workforce

Why age inclusion is important

The workforce is more generationally diverse now than it was in the past, and it is both aging and shrinking. For the first time in history there will be more people exiting the workforce than entering it. Welcoming workers of all ages is a talent management strategy. Both younger and older workers are more productive when they work in companies that have mixed-age teams compared to companies without mixed-age teams. And there are other benefits. Age-diverse teams generate better discussions, analysis and problem-solving. Age-diverse teams mirror the perspectives of an age-diverse customer base. Recruiting across a wide range of ages helps stabilize the workforce and slow turnover. Retaining older workers preserves your knowledge base and allows time for knowledge transfer to occur on the job. And fostering intergenerational connections signals to younger workers that they will continue to be valued as they age.

An age inclusive organization looks like

Like a great place to work! Studies show that people enjoy working with people of different ages. Age-inclusive organizations welcome workers of all ages and value their experience – from the earliest entrants to the oldest contributors. They don’t put people in buckets and make assumptions about them based on age. They encourage lifelong learning and embrace a growth mindset – knowing that everyone has something to teach and everyone has something to learn. Age-inclusive organizations are flexible, recognizing that longer lives mean career paths can be non-linear and caregiving affects everyone at some point. And they work hard to manage differences and celebrate similarities across multiple generations.