The plight of older workers

A SEMINAR FOR THE BRITISH COLUMBIA CAREER DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

MARCH 9 , 2013

The Plight of Older Workers


Who are Older Workers?Why are they out of work?What barriers do they face?How can we help them transition back into

the work force?Why would employers want older workers?

WHO ARE THEY?


This is who they are

This is also who they are

………and this is also who they are……

OK, so who are they again?

Ordinary folksVery experienced (25+ years with the same

company and laid off or down sized)Not very experienced (Empty Nest Spouse

returning to or entering the workforce)Well Educated (of 15 on one intake there

were 5 BAs, 4 MBAs & 3 PHDs)Not so well educated (didn’t complete high

school)Skilled or unskilled

Why are they out of work?

RecessionRelocationHealthTechnology rendered their skill obsoleteLack of current job search skillsLack of interview skillsFinancial (need a 2nd income)Insufficient pensionsLack of certifications

BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENTWHY DO OLDER WORKERS HAVE MORE DIFFICULTY FINDING EMPLOYMENT?

The Plight of the Older Worker

Barriers to Employment of Older Workers

They have NOT looked for a job in several decades


They have NOT looked for a job in several decades and really don’t know how to go about it.

They have no experience in writing a resume.



They have no experience in writing a resume.They are blissfully unaware of on line job

search options and are reluctant to use them.




search options and are reluctant to use them.Skype? Skype interviews? What is that?




search options and are reluctant to use them.Skype? Skype interviews? What is that?They have lost track of their self worth.




search options and are reluctant to use them.Skype? Skype interviews? What is that?They have lost track of their self worth.Some of them are technologically challenged.




search options and are reluctant to use them.Skype? Skype interviews? What is that?They have lost track of their self worth.Some of them are technologically challenged.Uncomfortable doing face to face networking.


Over Qualified for many jobs.


Over Qualified for many jobs.Under Qualified for other jobs.


Over Qualified for many jobs.Under Qualified for other jobs.Lack of Certifications.


Over Qualified for many jobs.Under Qualified for other jobs.Lack of Certifications.Have had no practice being interviewed.


Over Qualified for many jobs.Under Qualified for other jobs.Lack of Certifications.Have had no practice being interviewed.More people fear public speaking than fear

death.



death.Job skills have been rendered obsolete.



death.Job skills have been rendered obsolete.Inadequate programs available to assist

them.




them.Feelings of isolation.




them.Feelings of isolation.Ageism Myths

QualificationsTraining Options Offered

Silveculturalist30+ Years in the

Forestry IndustryReforestation Expert Executive

Management$50K plus/yearNo longer physically

able to work in the slash.

Flag PersonFork Lift OperatorSecurity GuardCare AideHospitality WorkerCPRWHMISFood Safe

Inadequate Programs for Older Workers

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THE OLDER WORKER TRANSITION BACK INTO THE

WORK FORCE?


FederalTargeted Initiative for Older Workers (TIOW)

9 weeksResume WritingInterview SkillsCombating AgeismTraining/CertificationsSupportsAge 50 to 67 from

rural locations with high unemployment

Internet TrainingWord & Excel

TrainingFinding the Hidden

Job MarketNetworking for JobsAlternatives such as

Self Employment or Consulting

Programs to Assist Older Workers

ProvincialJob Options BC Urban Older Workers

11 weeks5 weeks in group 6 weeks of one on

oneUp to 6 months of

follow upNOT EI EligibleAvailable in most

urban regions

Assessment of skillsEmployability SkillsShort Term Skills

TrainingLife Skills TrainingReturn to Work

Action Plan

Programs to Assist Older Workers

Aside from those programs, how can we help?

Direct them to free resume templates, provide in house resume writing classes and/or refer them to professional resume writers or recruiters.

Provide them with job search web site addresses like Workoplolis in addition to the Government Sites.

Give them Internet Job Search Training.Teach them Social Networking Job Search

Techniques.Connect to them on LinkedInRefer them to training that coincides with their

assessed skills and is relevant to their career goals

More Ways to Help

Encourage them to join ToastmastersEncourage them to attend local Chamber of

Commerce Networking EventsEncourage them to attend trade showsEncourage them to reconnect with their

previous employer and their competitors for part time consulting work

Encourage them to develop former hobbies into revenue generating businesses

Ask them to explore Temp Agencies

Still More Ways to help

Suggest that they volunteer within their community

Conduct mock interviewsPost useful job search hints where your

clients can access themProvide them with lists of current standard

interview questionsHelp them formulate appropriate responses Provide older workers with FACTS to dispel

ageism MYTHS

AGEISM

Ageism: By Definition…

Ageism: an alteration in feeling, belief, or behaviour in response to an individual or group’s perceived chronological age.

It may happen to the young and old but for the purposes of our workshop, we’re dealing with just the older worker.

Industry built on “Over the Hill”

Age prejudice is one of the most socially condoned, institutionalized forms of prejudices in the world – especially in North America

Such cards are often portrayed as humorous, but the essential message is that it is undesirable to get older …

AGEISM

Ageism’s Double Standard?

There is strong evidence that other forms of stereotypes or prejudices favour their own “in-group” – yet age attitude does not fit this pattern… For example, Black culture supporting black

heritage

Often most of the stereotyping about aging or being an older worker is related to some negative form of debilitation, either physical or mental, which is a precursor to the ultimate outcome of old age, death.

Mixed Messages Towards Older Workers

Studies 1.present evidence from research concluding that people often have contradictory views of older persons and because of that today’s older workers are sometimes seen as incompetent - yet warm; thus a basis for the creation of prejudice against older workers is planted.

Common Statements from Employers: “You seem really great – but we need…” “You’ve got lots of experience but you seem a bit

overqualified…” “We hired someone with more experience” “We need someone that we can train…” “We need someone that will be around for awhile” “We probably wouldn’t hire someone like you anymore…”

1. Brewer, Dull, and Lui, 1981; Kite & Johnson, 1988; Hummert 1990)

Negative thoughts get planted…

We perceive positive characteristics of the “in-group” and negative characteristics of the “out-group” to whichever group we belong. I.E:: Young people feel older people are slow and opinionated and older people

see young as lacking discipline and thoughtfulness.

Also the “in-group” states things that are positive about themselves propelling some of the positive characteristics while diminishing the “out-group”

That type of information starts to become common knowledge, despite being either “myth” or “fact”: Example: What’s said communally about: Forgetting:Youth: “not really interested, or “lack of effort or attention”Older workers: incompetence or memory failure; “its not what it used to be”

MYTH FACT

MYTH: Older workers are too expensive.

Reality Check: The costs of more vacation time and pensions are often outweighed by low turnover among older workers, while higher turnover among other groups translates into recruiting, hiring, and training expenses.

And while individual health, disability and life insurance costs do rise slowly with age, they are offset by lower costs due to fewer dependents.

Overall, fringe benefits stay the same as a percentage of salary for all age groups.

AGEISM MYTHS VERSUS FACT

MYTH FACT

MYTH: Older workers are more expensive than younger workers.

Reality: While workers with tenure are entitled to more vacation time and pension costs related to number of years worked, replacing workers is not cost free.

Aetna Insurance Company did a study of this issue and discovered these factors added 93% to the first year's salary of new employees.


MYTH FACT

MYTH: Older workers are more expensive than younger workers.

Older workers are less likely to job hop, and reduced turnover can reduce employer expenses. Many older workers have insurance from prior employers or from a Chamber of Commerce or are covered by a working spouse. Some may have retired from another career and receive a pension or other retirement income. Older employees may be willing to work for less pay and benefits to have a rewarding job with flexible hours, use of their skills, and opportunities to interact with others.


MYTH FACT

Myth : Older workers are less productive than younger workers.

Productivity is not a function of age. Mature workers produce higher quality work, which can result in a significant cost savings for employers.

Stories abound of highly committed older workers finding others’ potentially costly mistakes regarding everything from misspelling of client names to pricing errors and accounting mistakes.


MYTH FACT

Myth : Older workers are less productive than younger workers.

Why is that?

Older workers have a high level of productivity for several reasons.

They often have highly developed writing and math skills and a lifetime of experiences to draw upon.

Their maturity gives them stability and an improved ability to relate to others, and they waste less time.

In addition, they are more flexible about working hours and often willing to work part time.


MYTH FACT

Myth: Training older workers is a lost investment because they will not stay on the job for long.

The future work life of an employee over 50 usually exceeds the life of new technology for which the workers are trained.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) survey of workers over 40 found that 76 percent intend to keep working and earning after the traditional retirement age of 65.


MYTH FACT

MYTH: Older workers can’t learn as well as younger workers.

Older workers have superior study habits and their accumulated experience actually lowers training costs.

Older workers are generally eager to learn new skills – especially technological skills. They want to keep pace with change.


MYTH FACT


Those over 50 are proving their ability to learn new skills by becoming the fastest growing group of Internet users.

Career-changers in their 50s and 60s are taking courses to enhance their skills.


MYTH FACT


The fastest growing group of Internet users is over age 50.

According to a Harvard University study, the ability to use an accumulated body of knowledge keeps rising throughout the lifetimes of healthy people. It is true that the most effective ways to learn may be different for older workers than others. Experiential learning has proven to be of greatest value with this group.


MYTH FACT


Myth: You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Studies show only negligible loss of cognitive function of people under 70. While older workers take longer to absorb completely new material, their better study attitudes and accumulated experience lower training costs.


MYTH FACT

MYTH: Customers don’t respond well to older sales and service workers.

After realizing that half of their customers were over 50, Borders decided that the best way to increase its market share was to stress personal service and to hire employees who could relate better to its customer base.

There was an added bonus! Turns out that turnover among their workers over 50 is 10 times less than for those under 30. Reduced turnover costs and consistent service staff naturally led to increased profits.

Here’s another plus. Extensive research indicates that verbal communication, a critical customer service skill, actually increases with age.


MYTH FACT

MYTH: Older workers will NOT be able to find healthcare coverage anywhere but in traditional, full-time jobs.

FACT… OUCH. This myth is far too close to the truth for many. However, once you meet their requirements, temporary staffing firms offer health care benefit participation at greatly reduced rates over the cost of insurance you can buy on your own.

Temping is a growing source of opportunity for people seeking regular, long-term employment. It is a door that is open when all other doors of opportunity seem closed.

Joining your local Chamber of Commerce not only allows you to network for jobs or clients, it also offers optional Health Care Coverage at reasonable rates comparable to the group rates you got at work.


MYTH FACT

MYTH: Older workers aren’t as creative or as innovative as younger workers.

Because they've seen many approaches fail in the workplace, they are more likely to question change but they can accept new approaches as well as younger workers can as long as the rationale is explained.


MYTH FACT

MYTH: Older workers can only do what they have always done.

… The National Study of the Changing Workforce found that workers 50 or older are much more likely than younger cohorts to run a small business.


MYTH FACT

Myth: Older workers take more sick days than younger workers.

Attendance records are actually better for older workers than for younger ones. In fact, according to Health Canada, 80 percent of all older workers have no chronic health problems.


MYTH FACT

Myth: Benefit and accident costs are higher for older workers.

While individual older worker's health, disability and life insurance costs do rise slowly with age, they are offset by lower costs due to fewer dependents.

Overall, fringe benefits costs stay the same as a percentage of salary for all age groups.

Older workers take fewer risks in accident prone situations and statistically have lower accident rates than other age groups.


MYTH FACT

Myth: Older workers have more accidents.

Older workers account for only eight percent of workplace injuries, according to the Canadian Centre for Occupation Health and Safety.

Statistically, older workers

have lower accident rates than other groups – probably because experience has taught them not to take risks where workplace safety is concerned.


MYTH FACT

Myth: Older workers are absent frequently due to health issues, or they face impairment in their jobs

Older workers value dependability and show lower rates of absenteeism compared to younger workers.

They have a strong work ethic, value punctuality, and are less likely to need to stay home to care for sick children.

Most are healthy themselves; 80% of those 55-64 and 66% of those 65+ rated their health as good or excellent.


MYTH FACT

MYTH: Older workers do not want to accept less pay and less responsibility.

Many have reached an age where quality of life becomes more important than money.

Others have been out of work long enough to be grateful for any job they manage to get.


MYTH FACT

Myth: Older workers don’t possess the same level of tech skills as younger workers.

Who do you think invented these things anyway?

Baby boomers have been working with technology since the 80s.

Most employees only need to master the technology needed to do their job.


WHY HIRE OLDER WORKERS?

SOURCES

1Government of Alberta (2010). Engaging the Mature Worker: An Action Plan for Alberta. Retrieved on July 21, 2011

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Justlists.com (ref: Overcoming Myths About Older Workers Flash Cards at http://www.AgelessInAmerica.com ) The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Business Week, Health Canada Statistics Canada Canadian Centre for Occupation Health and Safety. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility at Boston College LESLIE AYRES, THE JOB SEARCH GURU Duke University Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania http://www.aging.unc.edu/groups/work/forum2008/ Source: American Business and Older Employees. AARP. Washington DC: 2000; Bureau of Labor Statistics 1Government of Alberta (2010). Engaging the Mature Worker: An Action Plan for Alberta. Retrieved on July

21, 2011 Fraser Valley Training Group Targeted Initiative for Older Workers Job Options BC Urban Older Workers

http://www.agelessinamerica.com/

http://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/IB12_OlderWorkersCapability.pdf

http://work.lifegoesstrong.com/leslie-ayres-job-search-guru

http://www.aging.unc.edu/groups/work/forum2008/

Thank You For Attending

Fraser Valley Training Group

(Wyvern Segreant Training & Consulting)

[email protected]://ca.linkedin.com/

pub/richard-lindfield/1a/757/38a/

LinkedIn TrainingSocial Media StrategiesProgram Management

mailto:[email protected]

http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/richard-lindfield/1a/757/38a/



The plight of older workers

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