Beyond Age: How Experience and Wisdom Benefit Organizations, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: This article makes the case for why organizations should thoughtfully consider hiring and retaining older workers. As the baby boomer generation reaches retirement age, skilled older workers are leaving roles, exacerbating future talent shortages. However, extensive research demonstrates that common stereotypes about aging and its impact on skills and abilities are unfounded. Rather, experience accumulated over decades provides clear cognitive and practical benefits to employers. Industries like healthcare, education, customer service and sales especially benefit from the experience, judgment, mentorship and interpersonal skills of seasoned practitioners. The article maintains that viewing older employees as knowledge assets versus liabilities through inclusive strategies like succession planning and flexible scheduling allows organizations to gain competitive advantage and prepare for upcoming generational changes in the workforce.