While most of the world of work is focused on what young people can bring to the workforce, something I champion, in recent years I feel the need to balance the debate. To consider why hiring older women is a smart business move.
And for clarity, and purposes of the conversation, I use the word ‘older’ to mean aged 50 years and above and in the prime of their life. Not OLD! So nobody take offence.
Whilst it’s true I believe it is our duty as custodians of our chosen industries to give young people a chance to grow and develop their skills, more recently I’ve been dwelling on what older employees can bring to the table. In particular, what women over 50 can offer in terms of experience and expertise? And how they are often overlooked as an untapped yet effective resource.
When it comes to building a strong, diverse workforce, older women have a huge amount to offer. Even if they are not experienced in a given sector, life will undoubtedly have given them skills in negotiation, time management, prioritisation, multi-tasking, and diplomacy. All are highly valuable in the workplace.
And according to studies, many women are looking to change career paths later in life. With an aging population, there is a growing army of 50-plus women in business who are nowhere near the end of their careers. So, is it time we gave older women a chance to thrive?
In this blog, I will look at the question of why hiring older women is a smart business move. covering:
- The older workforce in career transition
- Why hiring older women is a smart business move
- Experience and Expertise
- Problem-Solving
- Emotional Intelligence
- Resilience
- The challenge of switching careers later in life
- Why employers should re-evaluate their approach to hiring older women
- How to Attract and Support Older Women in the Workplace
THE OLDER WORKFORCE IN CAREER TRANSITION
According to a recent article in the Times, by 2025 one-third of the UK workforce will be aged over 50. The same article highlights how during the past 30 years, 73 percent of the nation’s employment growth has come from workers aged 50-plus.
Older workers not only have a wealth of life experience, on top of their career experience; they often come with a strong work ethic. And an ability to prioritise and manage time that’s far superior to younger workers.
As a result of freedom from childcare and caring responsibilities. The fact that we are living longer. That retirement age is rising. And, for some, the economic conditions forcing a return to the workplace or career extension. Many over 50s are choosing to begin a “second career” in a completely different industry later in life.
Research from Phoenix Insights shows a third of the current 45 to 54-year-old cohort expects to change careers before they retire. The percentage is growing.
You can read the full article here: https://www.thetimes.com/article/thousands-of-over-50s-are-choosing-to-embark-on-a-second-career-in-an-entirely-new-field-s58wqhht3
But how challenging is it to switch careers as an older woman? And what is an employer’s responsibility to give older people, especially women, the same chance to grow and develop as their younger counterparts?
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WHY HIRING OLDER WOMEN IS A SMART BUSINESS MOVE
Conversations around gender equality and age diversity are gaining momentum, in fact, I wrote a blog on everyday ageism a few years ago that set my LinkedIn page alight with comments.
Many women over 50 share my concerns on how ageism is one of the many issues women face in today’s society. Many feel invisible. Many are feeling ousted from the workforce. Some face significant barriers in the job market. Menopause brings with it a unique set of challenges too. Thankfully, we have been talking about this topic more in recent years.
So, to the question of why hiring older women is a smart business move. Despite the barriers they face, these women also bring a unique and invaluable combination of skills, experience, and resilience that can transform workplaces.
Here are some further reasons why I feel hiring older women is a smart move for businesses.
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EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE
Unlike younger employees who may still be finding their footing, older women have honed their skills over many years. Managing a team, building customer relationships, and streamlining operations. In my experience, older employees are adept at hitting the ground running.
I certainly am. My peers too, have an ability to ‘get things done.’ Finding a clear pathway while navigating challenges that arise.
Decades of professional and life experience culminate in older women being able to cope with most workplace scenarios.
Through the years, they, like I, will have weathered shifts in industry and navigated most dynamics within the workplace. They will have worked through economic and socioeconomic backdrops of varying seriousness, including recessions and pandemics. They will have seen trends, challenges, and changing attitudes. That wealth of life and work experience is gold to me.
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PROBLEM-SOLVING
Having lived through a range of personal and professional challenges, older women are adept at tackling problems head-on. There is no way you can get to fifty or above, without facing obstacles, adapting to change, and learning to find solutions under pressure.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
A most valuable and underrated soft skill. Not to generalise, but maturity does bring an ability to step back and ‘read the room’ in my experience. Along with a more level-headed approach to people management.
These days I am much better at not reacting in the moment and taking a step back before taking any action. Playing the long game.
In my experience, as we get older, our ability to read situations, understand diverse perspectives, and respond with empathy develops. I would certainly say that I have changed for the better in this way in recent years.
The result? Problem-solving over yelling and throwing blame. And a more collaborative and inclusive work environment.
RESILIENCE
Life will have taught older women to be resilient. Many have juggled careers whilst raising a family, faced gender discrimination, and adapted to significant changes in their industries. Contrary to stereotypes, older women are often eager to learn and embrace new tools, making them highly adaptable. They also have an enthusiasm, energy, and zest for life that transfers to their workplace.
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THE CHALLENGE OF SWITCHING CAREERS LATER IN LIFE
I loved reading this inspirational Marie Claire article on five women who have taken the leap and changed their careers in midlife.
https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/work/career-change-at-50
“Often with decades of professional experience, fewer personal commitments, and greater self-confidence, your fifties can be a brilliant time to reassess your working life and try something new,” it begins.
I could not agree more.
As the article and many others like it have highlighted. More and more women are turning to a new career later in life. I have done the same, albeit within a similar sphere. With a first-class team in place at TLC, it allows my focus to be a little less on event management, and more on my consultancy. Speaker opportunities, podcasting, and media commentating. Switching careers later in life can be daunting for older women. I pride myself on rising to a challenge but there will always be moments of self-doubt and societal pushback.
Ageism is a significant hurdle. Many employers may harbour biases about older candidates being less adaptable or tech-savvy, despite evidence to the contrary.
Gendered stereotypes further exacerbate the issue, with women often facing doubts about their ability to lead or thrive in male-dominated fields.
Balancing career transitions with personal responsibilities, such as caregiving for aging parents or grandchildren, adds another layer of complexity.
A quote from the article, however, sums up the reason all of this is worth taking on.
“As you age, you realise that you have more time behind you than in front, so what you have left, needs to be more about you.”
And that’s why more mature female employees can be the hungriest for success and goal achievement.
WHY EMPLOYERS SHOULD REEVALUATE THEIR APPROACH TO HIRING OLDER WOMEN
Employers have a responsibility to consider hiring older women for many reasons. When we look at why hiring older women is a smart business move, it’s not just ethical, but a business decision that promotes equity and inclusion.
Beyond fairness, embracing older women as a talent pool brings tangible business benefits. And it could just allow women changing careers to thrive in a new role that could give them renewed purpose and life satisfaction. That is a great example for your entire workforce and demonstrates the corporate commitment to equality and diversity. Powerful messages.
The PR value is certainly there, but, in my opinion, hiring older women is a bold, smart strategic decision. A wealth of experience, emotional intelligence, enthusiasm, and resilience can make older women invaluable assets to any team.
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HOW TO ATTRACT AND SUPPORT OLDER WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE
To fully harness the potential of older women, we need to create environments where they can thrive. Some ideas on how to do this could include offering more flexibility, training, and leadership opportunities.
Offering part-time roles, remote work options, or flexible hours to accommodate personal needs is attractive to any age group and something that more and more companies are embracing.
More than this thought, we need to actively challenge ageist and sexist stereotypes through education and inclusive hiring practices. As well as recognising the leadership potential of older women and their ambitions by ensuring they have clear pathways to advance. And never allowing issues such as the menopause be an excuse for holding back the careers of committed, dedicated, mature employees.
Is it time to challenge outdated perceptions and unlock the potential of this talented and dedicated group of professionals? I’d love to hear your comments!