If Your Next Hire isn’t Over Age 50, You’re Failing

A gross misconception is running rampant in today’s digital workplace. Employers and employees alike have been infected by a stigmatized notion that older people cannot possibly thrive in a company where they are required to utilize technology. Therefore, companies often avoid hiring older people out of the fear that they will fail to successfully onboard.

I’d like to paint you a different picture, one that goes against the grain of this stigma — where it’s not the employees who don’t fit into the company, rather it’s the company that hasn’t tailored itself to fit its employees.

Let me explain.

In a world where we have technology such as automation, VR, and RPA at our fingertips, there is no reason why people of all ages can’t benefit from this type of technology. Who said that there has to be an age limit on automation technology?

Utilizing digital adoption platforms to simplify training and onboarding is not a new tactic for organizations. A question I consider quite often is why managers aren’t tapping into the flexibility of these programs, and are instead adopting the perception that a certain age group just doesn’t fit into the company.

Technology allows for the specific tailoring of organizational training tactics to fit all employees — not the other way around.

People over age 50 have been proven to bring valuable experience and knowledge to companies.

Before you disregard an older candidate, know that evidence shows that perceived complexity, learning authenticity, and availability of technical support could be more influential than age. Especially when it comes to acceptance of such technologies and future intention to use them.

When an employee with years of diverse experience joins an organization, managers should feel like they’ve hit the jackpot and covet the valuable insights someone with more years of experience brings to the table.

Digital adoption solutions and automation allow employers to tailor training programs to fit the needs of each employee, regardless of age.

Software adoption can be just as challenging for your twenty-two-year-old college intern as it can be for your 55-year-old marketing specialist. Neither one of them has necessarily used the type of software you’re asking them to learn, which is why we have digital adoption platforms in place.

Different skill levels and knowledge bases of workers across the board should be considered when designing a training plan.

Employers should leverage the skills employees have previously accumulated, and invest in training them in areas they lack. Digital adoption targets the areas where employees lack in skills and makes up for them, regardless of age.

The competitive advantage of an experienced employee outweighs the areas where they may be lacking, and is made up for through digital adoption. After all, all training programs should be tailored for the specific type of employee’s needs.

Top 3 reasons you want your next hire to be over the age of 50

Soft skills

Because tech workers must partner with non-technical business units, soft skills are crucial when hiring. Seasoned candidates bring valuable skills to the table such as communication, presentation skills, professionalism and problem-solving.

With age comes wisdom

The concept of the “tech sage age” states that older people are increasingly likely to be considered top-performing employees as they age, mature and gain experience, while non-managers in non-tech are less likely to get one.

Their wisdom can be put to use to tap into a broader audience, and it can help your product appeal to a more mature age group.

Age-diverse teams

Age-diverse teams are much more innovative. Hiring people who are different than the majority of the team can help increase innovation all around. In a younger office, hiring older employees brings an alternative viewpoint to the table that can benefit a larger, more diverse audience.

Hiring an employee over age 50 is a win-win in the digital age. Companies can take advantage of the flexibility their training programs provide, in addition to hiring valuable talent when they find it.