Opinion: ‘Experienced’ isn’t old – it’s valuable
This week Hender Consulting is proud to support the United Nations International Day of Older Persons – a day to celebrate the valuable contributions older people make in our communities, including our workplaces.
In our executive recruitment work at Hender we benefit from these contributions every day. Our multigenerational team spans from two part-time colleagues in their 70s who continue to shape our thinking with decades of insight, to an 18 year old intern bringing fresh energy and curiosity (reminding me I used to be that sparky at 8:30am).
We regularly work with older individuals who are chairing boards, leading and guiding organisations, volunteering in advisory roles, highly productive in support roles and mentoring younger colleagues with wisdom that only time can teach. The impact of this in our own team is clear – it’s a dynamic that gives us a genuine competitive edge.
Yet disappointingly, we continue to see age bias in recruitment. Sometimes subtle, sometimes still blatant, but always limiting. And we continue to challenge it with a simple question: “Why does that number matter?” Let’s consider what they can contribute and their capability and character to succeed.
Older professionals can bring stability, resilience, emotional intelligence, institutional knowledge, perspective as valuable sounding boards, and often a welcome dose of humour and pragmatism. They can mentor, build customer loyalty and offer calm in a crisis. Younger colleagues can bring agility, digital fluency and fresh ideas. Together they create workplaces that are more dynamic, thoughtful, curious, innovative and human.
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As retirement and work arrangements become more flexible and people live longer and healthier lives, many older professionals are choosing to stay engaged in work, to contribute meaningfully and continue learning. We need to welcome this, not question it!
When I hear someone say “I’m old”, my response is always “not old, experienced”.
Let’s honour and celebrate experience this week, and challenge age bias wherever you see it lurking ahead.
Bernie Dyer is an Executive Consultant at Hender Consulting.
