Benefits of recruiting employees 55 and up

As human resources manager, do you hesitate before hiring people who are fifty-five or older? Do you have doubts about their learning skills or ability to learn new technologies? Are you afraid that they won’t stay with your company long enough? Although prejudices about hiring candidates in their fifties are starting to fade, the fact still remains that many people still consider age an important condition of hiring. Plenty of people in this age group are still active in the job market. They have the skills, experience and knowledge needed to meet the needs of companies. But they still face rejection far too often. It’s unfortunate. At St-Amour, we believe that it your organization should consider giving them a chance. Here’s why:

They constitute a solution to the labour shortage

Several managers we have with have told us that they managed to keep staff of this age group longer in their organization than young workers. That means staff turnover and costs related to hiring and training new employees are reduced. By recruiting employees in their fifties, you also mitigate recruitment problems caused by the ageing of the population.

They are proud to share their knowledge

Candidates over fifty have rich experience. At St-Amour, we presented a potential candidate over 55 to a client who was looking to fill a position in an industrial setting. He was hired for his highly specialized experience, which made him the most qualified in his field. The candidate wasn’t looking access higher-level positions in the company, and, having already covered a wide range of different work experiences, he was particularly interested in transmitting his expertise and know-how. This new employee was in a position to inspire his younger counterparts with his knowledge. For many workers in this age group, it is important to feel useful and help make a difference to the sustainability of a business at the end of their career.

They can contribute to your competitive edge

Including employees from different generations in your company is a winning solution. In fact, having a diversified workforce is a competitive advantage, because the contribution of more experienced resources will help your company find solutions and innovate.

Motivated and enthusiastic people, regardless of age, have the intellectual faculties to go above and beyond when it comes to doing their jobs. Age should not enter into your criteria when choosing candidates. Rather, take the time to make sure that their knowledge and skills will help your team become stronger and more efficient.