Over the Hill or Simply Overlooked? Benefits of Hiring Mature Workers
By: Cathy Warschaw
The U.S.’ larget demographic, the “Baby Boomer” generation, is getting older. Today, many mature workers are thinking of retirement from the nine to five grind. Instead of living the good life at the beach or traveling the globe, a number prefer to continue working.
The reasons for continuing to work after retirement are far reaching. It could be for supplemental income such as expenses for a new car, extra spending cash for the grandkids or just plain boredom of being at home. In truth, mature workers are often overlooked because of their age. Employers view them as ‘over the hill and past their prime.’ Sadly, nothing could be further from the truth.
“Wisdom involves using past experience to help solve a current situation,” says Margo Frey in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Having successfully survived difficult situations, more mature workers have a wealth of untapped knowledge and can apply their knowledge and experience to make better judgments than a young person might make.”
Consider the following myths and realities:
Myth: Older workers miss work…a lot.
Fact: Actually they have lower rates of absenteeism and higher rates of punctuality than younger workers. The 34-year-old mother of two is more likely to be late or miss a day of work to take the kids to the doctor, opposed to the 60 year-old receptionist with an empty nest.
Myth: They think they know everything and could care less about co-workers.
Fact: Most mature workers have an eagerness to provide support and guidance to fellow workers. What’s better, is the knowledge they provide is solid wisdom.
Myth: Older workers are just in it for the money and would drop an employer flat.
Fact: More mature workers are actually less likely to change jobs suddenly because they have a sense of commitment to the employer that gave them the chance to show their skills, unlike the younger generation looking for bigger and better opportunities.
Myth: New technology is too difficult for them to master.
Fact: This is probably the biggest misconception out there. Many older workers are eager and, more importantly, ABLE to learn new skills - technology or otherwise. The capacity to learn isn’t a function of age.
Myth: They’re only in it for the paycheck.
Fact: Mature workers aren’t always in it for the paycheck and even if they are, they have a higher commitment to quality when it comes to their work (A.K.A. - An ‘Old-Fashioned Work Ethic’).
Myth: More mature adults are just plain grumpy.
Fact: They actually have a more positive attitude. Chances are they aren’t dealing with the rebellious teenager, the mortgage payments or the in-laws stopping by next week for a visit. They are in a place where they can enjoy life since those stressful years are behind them.
The bottom line is this…more mature workers do have much to offer employers and the pros certainly outweigh the cons. Keep in mind the next older interviewee that sits across from you might not be ‘over the hill’ but instead the best human resource around town.
“Changing Lives…One Career at a Time.”
The Warschaw Learning Institute has grown to become the leading online dental office training among today’s dental professionals, adults changing careers and high school seniors. Offering a self-paced program with instructor supervision, students receive hands-on experience using a dental practice management software as well as the following three courses; Dental Front Office in (English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Russian and Farsi), HIPAA and Hiring for Fit (managerial team building course).
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