Why Hiring Seniors Makes Good Business Sense

Why Hiring Seniors Makes Good Business Sense

by Rona Barrett

When it comes to running a business, companies are always looking for the newest and freshest ideas to stay competitive as well as ways to protect their bottom line. To many employers, finding and hiring young men and women who are new to the job market would seem like the best way to access innovative ways of thinking.

But stop and consider this for a moment; hiring seniors as employees can be more beneficial to employers for a number of reasons:

• Seniors have years of work experience that give them the advantage of knowing what does and doesn’t work. This can help to avoid wasting a lot of time and money and allow for companies to instead focus on ideas that have a better chance at succeeding.

• Seniors are also more likely to feel they have a new purpose when hired; allowing them to feel valued and, thus, work harder than a younger employee who might take the position for granted.  Their emotional maturity and developed interpersonal skills also serve as important benefits.

• Older people generally have a work ethic and company loyalty that is, sadly, not so common these days with young people who view every career move as a stepping stone to the next “thing”.

• While many employers might shy away from hiring seniors since they assume they would be more expensive to employ than younger workers, the opposite is actually true. Many seniors are likely to already be on retirement or pension plans from previous jobs and may not need any additional benefits from a current employer. Companies might not even have to provide health benefits as seniors are also likely to already be on a medical insurance plan or have Medicare.

• Seniors may also be more willing to work on a part-time or consulting basis as many want to maximize their Social Security benefits by making just enough to receive the most benefits as possible. Hiring consultants avoids the need to pay income tax on them as well.

• Don’t assume seniors are not computer savvy—many are.

I just turned 74 and am more excited and engaged than ever about my current work in senior housing and advocacy as well as my new One Woman Show, called Rona Barrett: Nothing But The Truth, that is now touring across the country. I also know my way around a computer and am as active in social media as any 20 year old (well, perhaps that’s a stretch…).  My point is that I’m not the exception to the rule; I’m the example.

So I believe employers need to take a second look at hiring seniors over younger employees. When the opportunity presents itself don’t give the senior the short shrift over the younger person.  I’ve learned that people can benefit from the experience of the older person that can be equally or perhaps more beneficial than the new guy on the block. I don’t mean to suggest taking advantage of seniors in any way, but rather that employers take a look at their life experiences and skills and see the value in what they have to offer; it could end up saving companies a lot of time and money in the long run.