Tapping into age and experience

By: Ryhaan Shah

Not every senior citizen wants to retire and take it easy. Some would prefer to keep working, whether out of financial necessity or by choosing to continue their careers or jobs because they feel they still have much to contribute.
According to the United Nations, the global population of those 65 and older will reach 1.5 billion by 2050, nearly double the figure for 2020. With this coinciding with declining birth rates, it is becoming viable for workplaces to think about programmes and policies that would extend the employment of senior workers facing retirement.
Some older women in Guyana wish to continue to work, mostly out of financial necessity. They report that most employers are reluctant to hire them even on a part-time basis, perhaps because of both age and gender discrimination. While employers might feel that younger people could work more efficiently and for longer hours, they overlook the experience and dedication that older employees bring to the workplace.
With better medical care on the rise, seniors are healthier, able, living longer, and defying some of the more conventional views about ageing. And with our economy set to continue its expansion in the coming years, there could be room for employing seniors who are able, knowledgeable, and willing to work.
Along with our new oil wealth and rapid infrastructural development, there is also local population growth; business expansion in numerous sectors; a rise in tourism and new investments; and a just-announced decline in our unemployment figures.
Given this scenario, there is surely room for both the Public and Private Sectors to consider keeping seniors on staff or filling vacancies in expanding businesses with able and experienced employees, focusing on four key areas: providing flexible work arrangements and access to lifelong learning (especially new technology training), ensuring fairness in hiring policies, and promoting a wellness and preventative care culture within the organisation.
Businesses that offer flexible working hours are more attractive for senior workers, and keeping employees in the workplace rather than rushing them to retire actually saves on employee turnover. It also retains the experience and knowledge of the older employees who can help train new workers in company culture and policy, especially if the business is expanding and setting up new branches or shop fronts.
This kind of reverse mentoring that pairs senior executives with millennials is already being used in developed countries. Age discrimination often correlates with digital exclusion, and while the programme helps seniors improve their tech and AI skills, it also helps to retain younger employees.
By keeping senior employees on the job, there are benefits for both the business and the employee who, by staying mentally and physically active, improve their health and their sense of self-worth and well-being.
The elderly will continue to remain healthy and active for longer as our medical system focuses more on disease prevention rather than on treating age-related conditions that occur due to lack of information and wellness programmes.
Countries like Japan and Singapore help seniors stay healthy with coordinated policies that combine healthcare, housing, urban design, and social and workplace engagement.
Business and society need to toss the stereotypes about ageing and stop underestimating the capacity of older people. There are many stages of ageing, and while some seniors want to be at home with their grandchildren or take up a hobby, there are others who would prefer to continue to work.
Of course, some employees will continue to choose to retire and leave the workforce, but the goal for business and government is to remove barriers so that those who can or must work can do so productively and securely. The benefits, as outlined, are clear, and one of the most important benefits for the elderly who stay employed is the sense of purpose it provides, which always translates into having a healthier population.
While Guyana might have the usual negative views of the elderly, there is no lack of seniors who continue to work, some of whom are very prominent and visible business and professional people. Messrs Hemraj Kissoon and Sattaur Gafoor, for example, are still at the helm of their respective businesses, and there are numerous other examples of seniors who are choosing to stay on the job.
The idea of seniors being employed is nothing new to our work culture, and with Guyana’s rapid economic growth, there should be serious attention given to programmes that would tap into the knowledge and experience of those of us who wish to continue contributing to our national development.