Workers Age 75+: Your Next Untapped Talent Pool?

When I read this U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data in an AARP article, I was shocked. After the surprise wore off, I felt proud. I turned 65 earlier this year. I’m thoroughly enjoying my full-time job as Lead with Indeed’s editor-in-chief. And I have no plans to retire anytime soon, even though I’ve been asked about it a lot.  

But the statistic also filled me with questions. Why are people in their mid-70s and beyond the segment of the workforce growing the most? What does this mean for employers, and how can they best attract, support and retain older workers? 

To find out, I interviewed (via group video chat):

• Heather Tinsley-Fix, senior advisor for Employer Engagement at AARP 
• Virginia Campoy, senior client success specialist for Indeed and the co-chair of Indeed’s All Generations Empowered (AGE) America employee resource group 
• Daniel Corcoran, the Dublin-based vice president of Strategy and Operations - Finance for Indeed and AGE’s executive sponsor  

The following are edited highlights from our conversation, in which we discussed the “age closet”; the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on older workers; and strategies for attracting and supporting the specific needs of employees in their 60s, 70s and beyond.

Does the stat about workers aged 75 and up surprise you?

Tinsley-Fix: Not necessarily. This is a trend that’s been developing over the last five to 10 years. The workforce is aging because the population is aging: The average age of Americans is currently 38.8 years, expected to rise to about 43 by 2060. And by 2034, adults 65 and older will outnumber children 18 and under for the first time in U.S. history.

There are several reasons for this trend. People are living and staying healthier for longer. Some continue to work into their 70s or later because they need the money, of course. But many feel they still have something to offer. They like the structure and socialization that comes with having a job. Also, there are fewer children being born. 

Corcoran: I don’t think this trend is limited to the U.S. I’m seeing stories about it in the media in several global economies, like Japan and Germany, caused by an overall demographic shift. There are many reasons why there is participation in the workforce from multiple generations. It’s not always because of money. Some older people continue to work, not because they have to, but because they want to maintain the standard of living they’re accustomed to. 

The Wall Street Journal recently ran a story about how some employers are actively recruiting older workers because they’re seen as more experienced, harder working and more reliable than younger colleagues. What are your thoughts on this? 

Tinsley-Fix: People of all ages can bring something to their organizations. The mix of multiple generations unleashes innovation and gives a company a real competitive advantage. And with the labor market still tight, you need everybody. There are some differences between age groups, of course. But those differences aren’t as big, deep and fixed as people think.

Campoy: Being reliable is a strength that can be reflected at any age. It’s important that a talent acquisition (TA) team knows this and understands that stereotyping and discrimination on the basis of a person’s age affects everyone, not just older workers. I’ve had younger professionals come to me and say they were skipped for a promotion because they were “too young,” even though they had the experience needed for the role.

Corcoran: To Virginia’s point, employers should be mindful of staying focused on experience. Sometimes what’s most important is the skills someone can bring to a role versus the experience they have doing that role, which is something you gain over time. You can have the needed skills for some roles regardless of age. 

Martin: I can relate to that. I joined Indeed in March 2020, right before pandemic lockdowns and work-from-home mandates. Because I wasn’t interacting with colleagues in person (aside from a few days right at the beginning), COVID — and the small Zoom squares in which I appeared during video meetings — encouraged me to conceal my true age. A number of friends advised me not to share my age with colleagues, given the tech industry’s notorious ageism. 

Three years later, as I approached 65, I decided, “To hell with it.” I told my manager how old I was going to be. She enthusiastically encouraged me to let our team know. And I’m glad I did. Being my authentic self at work has been nothing less than empowering and in no way career-limiting, as I’d feared. In fact, three months later, I was promoted.

Virginia, as someone who is 50+, what’s it like working at Indeed? Did you ever “come out of the age closet”? 

Campoy: Before Indeed, I’d come to a fork in the road where no one would hire me as a recruiter (because of age). But I wasn’t ready to retire. When I saw the Indeed client specialist job posting, I thought about the fact that I didn’t have any background in tech. I decided to apply anyway. In my interview, the manager just really helped me relax. He didn’t even look at my resumé. Instead, he engaged me in a conversation that really brought out my people skills. 

Once I had the job, I knew I was the oldest person in my department. It was a struggle. I wanted to keep my hair dyed. I was very sensitive about my environment and how I portrayed myself, how I dressed. Luckily, I had a very human manager who created an environment where I could be myself and not have to “fake it” anymore. And COVID certainly helped me let go of all that! 

Three years later, as I approached 65, I decided, “To hell with it.” I told my manager how old I was going to be. She enthusiastically encouraged me to let our team know. And I’m glad I did. Being my authentic self at work has been nothing less than empowering and in no way career-limiting, as I’d feared.

How do you think artificial intelligence will impact workers in their 60s, 70s and older? 

Tinsley-Fix: The people who are still working at 65 or 75 most likely have highly specialized knowledge and skills. One example I’ve found is that, at NASA, 36% of employees are 55 or older. You’ve got people who have been in the space profession for years and have built up an enormous amount of highly specialized knowledge. So, in that sense, they’re probably a little bit safer from being replaced by automation. But given how fast AI is learning and developing, I think we’re all in the same boat. 

Corcoran: There are many things AI can and can’t do for hiring and recruiting. AI can’t take the “human” out of “human resources,” for one. Also, it’s important to focus on the opportunities. Yes, there are many jobs that exist today that might not exist in the future because of AI. But there are many jobs that will exist in the future that don’t exist today, also because of AI. 

Tinsley-Fix: Going forward, organizations and the people who work for them, regardless of age, will have to get used to constant adaptation. The landscape is shifting, and yet work still needs to be done. So the question is, how do we as employers hire people for their ability to learn? How do we hire for resilience? For adaptability?

What can employers do to attract, support and retain older workers? 

Corcoran: There are job opportunities for people of every generation, but there are challenges, too, and it’s important for employers to show awareness of the challenges different generations may face. 

For example, with the EMEA chapter of AGE at Indeed, we ran a “menopause in the workplace” event and created an awareness tool kit with a local partner. It was a success that we hope to scale across the company. 

Tinsley-Fix: The first thing employers can do is to join the AARP Employer Pledge Program, which Indeed has done. We have resources to help organizations, such as an age-inclusion checklist. 

Companies need to truly recognize their older workers, value their skills and be aware of the support they may need, such as around training and upskilling. Older workers tend to be very thorough when they upskill and can take a little longer compared to younger colleagues. Just having that understanding and being open and deliberate is one way you can support older workers. 

Also, it’s really important that your employer branding reflects the people you’re trying to attract, whether it’s age, gender or something else. There are lots of ways to use flexibility to retain older workers, too, such as having a phased retirement program, which allows workers to ramp down over the course of a number of years. Maybe an employee wants to just work three-quarters or half of the time until they’re ready to retire. Bringing older workers back as consultants is another option. 

In order to retain the best people, you need to give them a feeling of belonging within your culture and a sense of meaning in their work. Pay is important. But at the end of the day, it’s inclusion that really matters, no matter your age.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOGVNQ4mIzQ&list=PL6qIzGkkiXFEikmvTI1-divX-SDIqpkpp