Hire older people: see the benefits

a study developed by the Center for Studies in Organizations and People from Fundação Getulio Vargas School of Business Administration in São Paulo (FGV EAESP) revealed that 75% of companies avoid hiring older people and prefer young people. Data such as these show that the exclusion of certain generations, such as baby boomers, is still a common practice in the labor market.

The erroneous ideas – albeit unconscious – that younger professionals are cheaper due to lack of experience and tend to be more up-to-date are some of the impediments to professional interaction between different generations, which could be very productive if it happened.

Therefore, it is past time for companies to rethink their practices when it comes to recruiting older people. To encourage the breaking of this paradigm, we will show the reality about hiring older people. Continue reading and check it out:

Benefits of hiring older people

Despite the strong ideology around the market that hiring older people is more expensive and can be more costly for the company, the benefits brought by experienced professionals are very advantageous.

To give it a chance, it is necessary that recruiters and decision makers of the company get rid of any prejudice: do not think that older people are inflexible and not very attentive when it comes to technology or that they are resistant to changes, for example . These limiting beliefs prevent the business from developing properly.

We list the main benefits of hiring older people, check out:

Promotion of diversity

Diversity is a topic that is no longer a differential and has become a regular and mandatory agenda in companies.

By hiring professionals from the most varied age groups, the company places itself on the market as a promoter of diversity and also encourages the exchange of experiences and perspectives.

More market experience

Having a professional who has experienced different scenarios is a great strategic differential.

People with more luggage are able to predict market movements, which makes it possible to anticipate problems and then solutions. Thus, situations that impact the company’s strategic plan are minimized.

Maturity in decisions

The market experience still brings maturity to decision making. As the professional is more experienced, it is natural that their decisions take into account less obvious points for young people.

Having this profile on your team brings the certainty that decisions will take into account important factors and will not be made without a basis relevant to the business.

Strong leadership figure

Successes and misunderstandings from professional experiences make the older professional become a strong figure of leadership. Everything he went through means that he is able to act more precisely, giving assertive directions to his team.

It is noted, therefore, that hiring older people brings benefits in different areas of the company, from valuing diversity to making strategic decisions.

Difficulties that may arise in hiring

Like all hiring, there are points of attention to be analyzed and overcome. See the main ones:

Salary divergence

It is no secret that older people tend to cost more when it comes to pay. This happens due to the professional’s experience load;

So it is very important that recruiters and the candidate are open to the conversation.

It is worth doing market research to find out how much an employee in conditions similar to the one you intend to hire is earning. Then, list all the responsibilities he will have and analyze the conditions of the company.

Based on these data, it will be possible to argue in the negotiation of wages and, thus, reach an advantageous agreement for both parties.

Feedback difficulty

Less experienced colleagues may find it difficult to provide constructive feedback to older people because they feel uncomfortable or lack sufficient knowledge to do so.

This scenario only reinforces the importance of the culture of feedback in companies: regardless of position, age or area of ​​activity, employees must be accustomed to giving and receiving comments on the work. Therefore, it is important to cultivate the practice in the company since the selection process.

This will make everyone already used to the idea since onboarding.

What to consider before hiring older people

In every hiring, it is necessary to plan and act strategically. Thus, there are two main points to consider:

Company Profile

First, the HR professional responsible for hiring must keep in mind what the company’s profile is. That is, what are its main characteristics, what values ​​are valued and what is the organizational culture.

It is worth comparing this information with the candidates most adhering to the vacancy, revealing whether or not there is a cultural fit among them.

This work is extremely important, because once you know what the company looks like, it is much easier to find the professionals who have to do with it.

Characteristics of the professional

It is necessary to outline what characteristics the professional who will occupy the position in question must have. From this, it will be possible to identify when and for what position it will be interesting to hire older people.

In view of all the value that more experienced professionals bring to the company, it is necessary to decrease the percentage of companies that do not actively search for this group of candidates. Always remember that smart and strategic hiring makes all the difference to the health of the business.

Now that you’re up to date with hiring older people, check out why it’s important to give interview feedback to candidates during the selection process.