Why is it important to take advantage of the older workforce ?
Innovative managers are beginning to see the benefits to take advantage of the older workforce by developing strategies for a more flexible working environment as well as creating roles to be mentors and trainers.
Whilst the older generation may not have the technological skills of the up and coming generations (and may not wish to be trained in them), they still have a wealth of knowledge that businesses must retain so that you can take advantage of the older workforce and wisdom that they offer.
It is said that adversity can often reveal strengths people never knew they had. The same can be said of business. Rather than looking at the impending exodus of baby boomers from the workplace as a problem, businesses can use the situation to their advantage.
A systematic approach dealing with this issue can produce a clear competitive advantage over organisations that simply pay lip service to the worn out – “people are our greatest asset.”
Those who rise to the challenge find it not only easier to attract but also to retain team members.
Flexibility is the key
We need to learn the lessons from today to hold us in good stead for the future. The best strategy take advantage of the older workforce is to establish a flexible working environment.
It is absolutely critical that today’s managers develop their up-and-coming leaders and teams to champion innovation. Especially, if your organisation is experiencing a shortage of workplace labour.
Employers who want to attract or keep staff will have to offer something that sets them apart from their competitors.
The exiting from the workplace of the baby-boomer generation threaten to take the gloss off the good times for businesses that don’t have enough employees to operate to capacity. This is why approaches such as conducting a skills audit, developing leaders and teams is vital in creating a workplace of confidence when taking advantage of the older workforce.
Today’s managers develop their up-and-coming leaders and teams to champion innovation. Especially, if their organisation is experiencing a shortage of workplace labour skills.
Wisdom doesn’t automatically come with old age. Nothing does – except wrinkles. It’s true, some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes are good in the first place.
Development opportunities are vital
Manager’s today are focusing on streamlining workplace systems and processes and will learn not to become as reliant on people to get the job done.
Both the employers and employees need to be able to identify development opportunities and to identify positive leaders who will help them achieve their goals.
Businesses flexible enough to cater for all their staff would weather any Ageing Workplace Population issues better than those that use traditional human resource models involving policies applied to the entire workforce when taking advantage of the older workforce.
Many companies aren’t aware of the skills that many of their employees have. An audit of those skills may reveal that there are people already in the organization with the skills that the company is looking for.
It is vital that all workplace leaders understand the importance of consulting with the staff, especially Gen-Y’s, because they tend to have a natural willingness to embrace technology solution as a drive for change.
