BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
The WorkBC
Employer’s Tool Kit:
A Resource for
British Columbia Businesses
Booklet 2
It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain
and Engage Mature Workers
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BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
It’s About Ability How to Attract,
Retain and Engage
Mature Workers
A resource booklet for employers
Why has the WorkBC Employer’s
Tool Kit been produced for
businesses in British Columbia?
British Columbia has a booming economy
and our unemployment rate is at a 30 year
record low. Much like the rest of Canada and
other developed nations around the globe,
B.C. is beginning to feel the impact of an
impending labour shortage. Canada is facing
an unprecedented change in workforce
demographics as the first wave of the baby
boom generation begins to retire. In fact, for
every two baby boomers who retire, there is
less than one person to take their place.
In British Columbia, more than one million jobs
will be created by 2015. At the same time, more
than one quarter of the current workforce will
retire. This is a challenge for which there needs
to be both short- and long-term solutions.
Both developed and developing countries
are experiencing similar demands for skilled
labour. With this new global reality, British
Columbia is in direct competition with other
regions for skilled workers.
This WorkBC Employer’s Tool Kit is provided
by the Ministry of Economic Development to
supply businesses in British Columbia with the
necessary tools and resources to ensure they
are properly equipped to attract, retain and,
most importantly, engage their employees.
By using this resource booklet and the three
labour pool-specific resource booklets,
businesses in British Columbia can develop
a range of strategies to help address the
current and upcoming labour shortages.
BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Four Resource Booklets
Booklet 2: It’s About Ability – The Mature Worker
1
2
Booklet 3: Under the Labour Radar – Aboriginal People, Women,
Youth and People with Disabilities
3
Booklet 4: Diversity at Work - Recruiting and Retaining Immigrants
4
Booklet 1: How to Attract, Retain and Engage Employees
Inside this booklet you will
find the following:
• Information on changing
demographics and how they are
relevant to your business
• An updated profile of today’s older
worker and how he/she is redefining
what it means to be a mature worker
• Provincial perspectives on the value
of hiring mature workers, including
the perspective of the workers and
the companies that hired them
• Practical tools for planning and
implementing strategies to engage
and attract mature workers
• Techniques to uncover the
potential of experienced workers
to ensure they play a key role in
strengthening an increasingly
multigenerational workplace
BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
“The ‘perfect storm’ has
been created by an aging
workforce, a declining
15-24 year old new entrant
pool and stiff international
competition for talent.
Strong economic growth
over the last five years has
increased the skills gaps in
B.C. Small businesses are
particularly vulnerable
when trying to deal
with the impacts of
labour shortages.”
The Coalition of B.C. Businesses
BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Table of Contents
Demographics and the New Reality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Support for Mature Workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Making It Happen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Demographics and
the New Reality
The Perfect Labour Storm
Canadian demographers are concerned
about the impacts of an aging population,
declining birthrates and increasing longevity
on various aspects of our work and life. The
impending shortage of skilled and readily
available workers is tangible. As a result,
we have embarked on an unprecedented
and fundamental shift in the generational
composition of our communities and
our workforce.
While there is little doubt that society can
adapt to these changes over time, the “perfect
labour storm” requires organizations to
create strategic and innovative approaches
to retention and recruitment immediately, in
order to position themselves for success.
Telling Demographics
Estimates reveal that before 2010, the number
of British Columbians leaving the labour
market will exceed those entering the market.
In addition, the exodus of older workers from
the labour force coincides with record levels
of employment.
British Columbia enjoys the highest life
expectancy in Canada and one of the highest
in the world. According to Statistics Canada,
the average 65 year old Canadian who was
born in the early 20th century could expect
to live until they were 78 years old. In 2003,
this individual could expect to live until the
age of 84. Interestingly, the birth rate in B.C. is
declining and directly affecting the numbers
of future workers available for employment.
The Urban Futures Institute projects the 50+
population will increase by 44% between 2005
and 2020 while the under 50 population will
increase by 5% during this same period.
“It is estimated that approximately one million job
openings will be created in B.C. between 2003 and 2015,
yet only 650,000 young people will progress through the
province’s school system during the same period.”
Rosalyn Kunin & Associates, Inc., 2010 Winter Games Labour
Demand Analysis, April 2003.
BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Making Demographic
Change Work for You
Although these demographic changes
pose great challenges for business, they
also have the potential to generate new
and exciting opportunities.
Changing demographics can:
1. Strengthen relationships
with customers/clients
As the population ages and mature
consumers exercise greater spending
power, it can be advantageous to present
a mature face to your customers. This
approach has been successful for financial
planning and insurance companies as
older clients appreciate dealing with
those who share a similar life experience.
2. Enhance/expand business capabilities
Including mature workers as a part of a
workforce brings experience to decision
making, planning and problem solving.
Carefully matching the experience of the
mature worker with the more current
viewpoints of newcomers is a strategy
that can generate dynamic, new ideas and
approaches. In addition, mature workers
can significantly impact the performance
and productivity of younger workers
through coaching and mentoring.
Implications for Businesses
The “perfect labour storm” is affecting
businesses considerably, particularly small
and medium-sized organizations. While many
business owners understand that on-the-job
training and flexibility are key components
for attracting and retaining talented people,
they are often limited in the time, resources
and finances required to implement
these important components. Moreover,
organizations of all sizes are raising the bar
by offering attractive benefits and workplace
“perks” to potential employees.
Young candidates are particularly
discriminating when searching for a
workplace – their terms often include
freedom to make decisions, frequent
feedback, a sociable workplace, flexible
schedules and ample time off. While this
is beneficial for job seekers, it creates
exceptionally high standards difficult for
smaller businesses to meet and sustain.
Mature workers are a growing pool of underutilized workers in British Columbia who bring
experience, technical, interpersonal skills, and
leadership capabilities to the workplace. Many
of these workers are ready to start making
an immediate contribution to the business
community across B.C.
Remember….
Thinking strategically about opportunities within the changing
demographic landscape will enable you to respond quickly to
the changes taking place around you.
BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Optimizing an Under-Utilized
Labour Pool
Employers who are developing relationships
with under-utilized labour pools are staying
ahead of the ‘labour storm.’ Forward-thinking
businesses understand the importance
of maximizing mature workers’ skills and
expertise in a time when retirees are starting
to outnumber new workers; these businesses
are also aware that a mature worker takes
critical skills, knowledge, experience and
valuable relationships with them when
they retire. These businesses are redefining
retirement throughout their organizations
and encouraging valued, mature workers to
remain engaged on mutually beneficial terms.
Research Pays Off
Research the larger organizations in
your particular market and examine
how they are adapting to the changing
labour market. Larger organizations
invest heavily in human resources and
information about their recruitment/
employee satisfaction programs
are often easily found on company
websites. Wherever possible, adapt the
programs and strategies developed by
more resource-rich organizations to
your own situation.
“The Aging of the Population will accelerate over the next
two decades, particularly as baby boomers begin turning
65. Between 2006 and 2026, the number of seniors is
projected to increase from 4.3 million to 8.0 million.
Their share of the population is expected to increase
from 13.2% to 21.2%.”
A Portrait of Seniors, Statistics Canada
BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Support for
Mature Workers
What the Experts Say
A growing body of research indicates that
mature workers have a vital role to play in
responding to the labour shortage in B.C.
“Statistics Canada data shows that if older
people choose to remain in the labour market
even just two more years than the current
average, our labour supply will not drop, but
rather stay virtually stable.” Aging Well
in British Columbia
“Small business employers need to realize
that the skills and experience of older
workers are of great value and they should
begin exploring various forms of phased
or partial retirement and flexible working
arrangements…in order to both recruit and
retain them.” B.C. Skills Provincial Summary
“How to prevent mass retirement from
starving your business of talent? Replace the
traditional notion of retirement – whereby
people stop working at a certain age – with
a more flexible one that encourages people
to become lifelong contributors to your
company”. Harvard Business Review, It’s
Time To Retire Retirement
“While postponing retirement will not
solve the looming labour crunch, policies
and practices designed to encourage
older workers to remain in the workforce
should be part of a broader strategy to
temper demographic impacts.” Business
Council of B.C., Encouraging workers to
postpone retirement will help mitigate
future labour shortages.
Getting to Know the
Mature Worker
The profile of a senior citizen has changed
dramatically over the last few decades, due
in large part to the Baby Boomer generation.
Seniors today live longer, enjoy good health
and physical activity and are increasingly
becoming technologically savvy. They are well
educated, with more than half the Canadians
who turn 65 over the next decade having
a post-secondary certificate, diploma or
university degree. Mature workers typically
hold traditional beliefs in authority and
the role of government and tend to value
structure and fairness in following rules.
Studies show mature workers have high
job satisfaction rates and take pride in their
work and careers. Mature workers offer
experience, emotional maturity and loyalty
in the workplace. They practice teamwork
and believe in service to others. Furthermore,
mature workers care about the fate of their
organizations and invest themselves to
help it succeed.
Between 2000
and 2003,
the share of
individuals
aged 65 to
74 using the
internet more
than doubled
from 11% to
28%. Statistics
Canada
“Lawyers who spend their entire
careers putting together profoundly
complex business transactions have
accumulated enormous intellectual
capital. This knowledge asset isn’t
easily replaced. In the legal profession,
judges are typically appointed late
in their careers because it takes time
to build up the breadth and depth of
knowledge required in order to carry
out the role.”
Brad Daisley, Public Affairs Manager,
Law Society of B.C.
BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Mature Worker
Misconceptions
It is awkward for young employees
to manage older workers. A
multigenerational workforce provides
an excellent opportunity for mutually
beneficial relationships. A commitment
to ongoing and open communication
creates an environment where respect
and understanding can thrive.
All mature workers want to work
part time. Mature workers are often
interested in flexible work options.
Providing flexibility to your employees
will help distinguish you as an employer
of choice, not only for mature workers, but
to other potential labour pools such as
immigrants, First Nations, young people
and people with disabilities.
Making a strategic decision to better engage
and recruit mature workers may be new to
your business.
Common misconceptions about mature
workers include:
Older workers have difficulty learning
new skills, particularly with respect to
technology. Many experienced workers
are eager to learn new skills, but are often
overlooked for professional development
opportunities as a result of outdated
assumptions about willingness to learn
new skills. Discussing and offering new
training opportunities is vital to creating
an environment where learning can
comfortably occur.
Older employees will not work for
many years. Research suggests that
mature workers sustain the highest job
tenure overall. Their traditional values
of dedication and service translates into
loyalty for your company.
Older workers have more health
problems that will cause them to
miss work. Employees aged 50+ do not
sustain more injuries or absences than
their younger counterparts. Many mature
workers remain employed because of
the psychological and social benefits
a workplace community provides. This
positive correlation between work and
health has been well-documented and
indicates that people who stay engaged
in work (either paid or unpaid) tend to
remain in better health and live longer –
in all age groups.
“Seniors are phenomenal
employees. Some people
say that mature workers
don’t like change but in my
opinion that’s absolutely
not the case. When you
teach them something
they pick it up quickly
and then they can run
with it. You don’t have to
be standing over them
constantly.”
Lori Keetch, Editor/Owner,
Senior Connector
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BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Elimination of Mandatory
Retirement
“Many seniors are capable and
interested in remaining employed
and/or finding a different type of
employment after retirement. Most
seniors express that they wish
to stay active, keep their minds
engaged and feel connected to
their community. They aren’t
necessarily looking for big salaries
or lots of responsibility, but more
of an opportunity to be productive
and utilize their life skills.”
The notion of mandatory retirement is
being widely challenged as a form of
age discrimination.
As of January 1, 2008, British Columbia
eliminated mandatory retirement in both
the public and private sectors by revising the
provincial Human Rights Code.
Workers are now able to choose to retire
whenever they wish. The change is about
allowing people to continue to work past age
65 if they desire to do so. The amendment
ensures people over 65 have protection from
age discrimination and will potentially help
employers to retain the corporate memory
and experience mature workers possess by
enabling them to remain in the workplace
past 65. Mature workers will be subject to
the same standard of accommodation as
other workers.
For more information please contact the
Ministry of Attorney General ‘s Mandatory
Retirement Hotline toll free at 1-866-666-1165,
or e-mail mandatoryretirement@gov.bc.ca.
Information is also available on the web at www.
ag.gov.bc.ca/mandatory-retirement/index.htm.
Brenda Prevost, Executive Director, Seniors
Information Centre
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BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Personal Perspectives
Mel de Cook is a civil technician
and former partner in Urban
Systems, an engineering,
planning and landscape
architecture firm in British
Columbia. At the age of 60,
Mr. de Cook opted to reduce his
workload to 50% before shifting
into a contract arrangement
with the firm. Now that he
works on contract, his role has
been redefined to provide the
flexibility he desires. Presently,
Mr. de Cook provides assistance
to Project Managers with
civil design, senior technical
review and consulting advice.
“After retiring from a full-time
secretarial job I found I missed
the workplace interaction. An
opportunity came along that
allows me to work on an on-call
basis. This job gives me all the
benefits of working as much
or as little as I want, meeting
other people, travelling and
earning a small salary. I also
stay connected to and remain a
contributor in the workforce. It is
a great arrangement.”
S.M., Mature Worker
The ongoing relationship has been
beneficial for many:
• Clients - the firm has retained
Mr. de Cook’s valuable technical, project
and client-related expertise
• Staff - Project Managers can access and
learn from his 35+ years in consulting
engineering
• Mr. de Cook - working part-time keeps
him physically and mentally active and
provides additional resources for travel
and other interests
Why This Arrangement Works
- Worker and employer benefit from
flexibility of on-call work
- Position combines social interaction
with light responsibility - worker
appreciates low stress while
enjoying connection with others
- Salary and benefits arrangement –
worker is not overly concerned
with remuneration; company is not
obligated to pay benefits
Why This Arrangement Works
- Urban Systems opened a discussion about Mr. de Cook’s ongoing role well before he reached retirement age
- Mr. de Cook’s responsibilities were tailored to his desire for flexibility
-
Urban Systems and Mr. de Cook worked closely together to develop a mutually beneficial arrangement tailored to
his unique skills, interests and priorities
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BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Employer
Perspectives
“I had my own biases about
the value of seniors when I
“Mature workers are very
took over the newspaper, but
valuable to our firm because
I’ve learned so much about
they offer their experience and
the incredible energy, skill and
knowledge directly to our clients
commitment they bring to all of
to solve their problems and they
the great work that they do in
offer experience and knowledge
this community. It’s been a great
to our young people to help
eye opener and I think there are
them build their own base. It’s
so many businesses that could
the combination of what mature
benefit from their expertise.”
workers have to offer that is the
Lori Keetch,
most powerful.”
Editor/Owner,
Cameron Gatey, CEO,
Senior Connector Newspaper
Urban Systems Ltd.
“There’s no question we need
mature workers in our business.
Our customers appreciate
and have confidence in the
advice they are given when it’s
dispensed by someone with
some life experience behind
them.”
Kevin Peck,
General Manager,
Canadian Tire
According to Statistics
Canada, 55% of retirees
surveyed cited at least one of
the following non-financial
reasons for returning to
employment: 22% did not
like retirements; 19% cited
intrinsic rewards offered by
work (e.g. challenging tasks,
social contacts, sense of
purpose); and 14% felt they
were needed or wanted
to help out.
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BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Making it Happen
Taking Early Action
If hiring mature workers could benefit your
business, adjustments should be undertaken
as soon as possible. It takes time to develop a
working environment attractive to the most
talented candidates.
Each generation brings its own set of values
and expectations and markedly different
attitudes towards work, authority, careers
and work life/balance. It is an ongoing
challenge for businesses to meet the
diverse needs and expectations of these
four generations. Listed below are some
suggestions to assist you in managing
people across the generational spectrum.
Winston
Churchill
was 65
when he
became
Prime
Minister.
• Think Skills – Not Age
Identify ways to apply people’s skills to
address gaps regardless of their age. For
example, vacancies created by young
workers moving into other positions may
be ideal for mature workers heading
into retirement.
The New Normal –
Multigenerational Workplace
We are entering a new era where four generations of
employees are working together. In order to attract
and retain individuals from each generation it is
critical to understand what keeps them inspired and
engaged. Leaders and managers will require strong
communication skills to ensure the different age groups
work together in cohesive and productive ways. Refer
to pages 7 – 11 in Booklet 1 for more information on the
specific characteristics of each generation.
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• Tailoring
Move away from the ‘one size fits all’
approach to communication and create
roles, benefits and incentives with
generational differences in mind.
• Understanding
Take time to learn about the four
generations and use this information to
gain insight into your own workforce.
• Mentoring/Knowledge Transfer
Facilitate mentoring between workers
of different generations to forge positive
linkages and mutual appreciation.
These relationships often provide fresh
challenges to older workers while they
transfer organizational knowledge to
younger employees.
“Life expectancy is
increasing two years per
decade and people are
a lot healthier. There is
a huge opportunity for
people to work through
their 60’s but not full-time,
and workplaces have to be
flexible. These people will
want to play golf and travel
half the time.”
David Foot, Author,
Boom, Bust and Echo
BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Flexibility
Remember…
By learning about flexible work options and
becoming skilled in communicating and
managing flexible schedules, not only will
you be attractive to mature workers, but you
will also appeal to the broadest spectrum of
skilled candidates possible.
Offering flexible work arrangements to your
staff will help engage, retain and attract the
best people. It requires high levels of trust in
your employees as well as careful planning
and ongoing communication.
The potential benefits of a flexible work
arrangement include:
• Increased engagement and association
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you
map out your flexible work strategy:
• Assess your situation
• Increased retention and decreased
hiring costs
Flexible Work Options
• Establish an approach
The most common flexible work
arrangements are:
• Flexible time – providing employees with
some options as to when they start and
finish work
• Compressed work week – working
longer days in a shorter work week, e.g.
40 hours in 4 days rather than over five 8
hour days
Do you have existing flexible
arrangements? If so, how can you build
on what is working and what lessons you
have learned?
Develop guiding principles for the
application of flexible work arrangements
throughout your organization. Consider
issues such as eligibility, options and
expectations of the employer/employee.
• Track progress
Evaluate how flexible arrangements
contribute to business goals, e.g. what
impact are they having on performance,
customer retention, and employee
engagement?
• Part-time – this comes in a myriad of
forms and includes seasonal work
• Job sharing – two part-time employees
sharing responsibility for one full time,
salaried position
• Contract work – the worker is engaged
on an as-needed basis
• Flexible place/telecommuting –
includes all forms of off-site work
(e.g. home office, temporary
secondments, etc.)
• Leave of absence – can be paid or unpaid
with a guarantee the employee’s job will
be held for them upon return
The New Normal –
Flexibility
Flexibility in the workplace has evolved from
a workplace “perk” into a critical determinant
in the employee/employer relationship. Given
the choice, many employees would choose to
work for a company that provides a flexible
work environment over an inflexible work
arrangement with additional compensation.
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BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Flexible Retirement Options
Many retirees return to work as they find
themselves in good health and in possession
of the skills and expertise needed in the
current job market. However, most prefer to
reduce their responsibilities and continue
working rather than leave the workforce
altogether. This requires some creativity with
respect to addressing the following questions:
1. Current Reality – Where Are We Now?
Take stock of your current employee base to
examine individual priorities and career plans,
generational composition and skills.
Consider the following:
• What is the demographic profile of
our employee base? What challenges
and opportunities are we facing as a
result of the changes in demographics?
• Flexible roles – does the job or role need
to be redesigned?
• What skill shortages will we face
and when?
• Work assignments – what projects
are suited to the individual’s interests
and experience?
• When will retirement(s) impact the
organization? What skills and
experience must be retained?
• Reduced hours – what kind of flexible
work option would suit their needs?
• What motivates people in the
organization? Why do employees join,
why do they stay and why do they leave?
• Control over scheduling – can we
put more decision-making control in
their hands?
• What are the plans and priorities of those
nearing retirement?
• Which positions or projects may be
better suited to older, project-based or
part-time workers?
Workforce Planning Mature Workers
Workforce planning ensures you have
the skilled workers required to meet your
business objectives. This kind of planning is
best done when key leaders in the business
are brought together to discuss and commit
to specific, measurable, achievable and
timely action.
• What are our current sources of labour?
Are they meeting our needs? Why or
why not?
• What is working well in terms of attraction
and retention and how can we build on it?
With flexible retirement options
your company retains:
- the service of key employees and high performers
- valuable customer and industry knowledge and technical skill
- access to highly productive and experienced talent pools
- leadership talent to fill unexpected gaps – “leaders on demand”
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BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
2. Vision for the Future - Where Do We
Want To Go?
Attracting Mature Workers
Determine the direction for your business
and how you can ensure you have the right
people in place to carry out that vision.
Look at your business communications
and recruitment practices to ensure they
are inclusive of all generations. For mature
workers in particular, it means that criteria like
“high energy” and “motivated” needs to be
balanced with references to “experience”
and “skills”.
• What is our vision for our business in
one, five and ten years? (Consider all
aspects of your business – financial, client,
organizational, etc.) What is the ideal
scenario? How will we know if we have
been successful?
• What skills will we need to move toward
this vision? What values and attributes
will be essential in our employee base?
• Where are we likely to find the skilled
workers we require?
• What are the best sources? What
additional sources or approaches could
be used?
3. Action Plan – What Do We Need To Do?
Reality and vision are brought together at
this stage to generate tangible actions that
engage, retain and attract mature workers.
Other recruitment strategies include:
• Use terminology like “all candidates
welcome” or “this company values workers
of all ages” in recruitment advertising.
• Post part-time as well as full-time
positions. Make reference to
workplace flexibility.
• Populate your website and marketing
materials with images of staff of all ages.
• Explore ways in which the skills of older
workers can be transferred across roles,
businesses and even industries.
• Offer flexible benefit packages
wherever possible.
For example:
ACTION – Jeff will meet individually with
Carolyn (high performing mature worker
nearing retirement) by (date) to explore
flexible retirement options with her and
reinforce our commitment to working with
her to find a suitable arrangement.
A good
plan today
is better
than a
perfect
plan
tomorrow.
ACTION – Shelley will review our
recruitment materials, website and other
communications by (date) to ensure our
public messages are reflective of our desire
for a multigenerational workforce.
Proverb
ACTION – Ben will analyze the gaps created
by the advancement of young workers to
determine if they could be filled by one or
more of our mature workers wanting to move
into a flexible work arrangement.
“Many older workers aren’t interested in a life of pure
leisure. They hunger to learn, grow and try new things.”
Harvard Business Review, It’s Time to Retire Retirement.
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BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Where to Find Mature Workers
• Under Your Nose
The best pool of skilled labour is the
people you already know. Look around
your organization to identify people with
the skills your organization needs.
• Affiliations
Professional associations and their
related publications, university alumni
associations, churches and seniors’ groups
can be good places to connect with
mature workers.
• Publications
There is a growing pool of publications
that target the 50+ demographic.
Special interest publications such
as those focused on financial
management, gardening, or travel are
other possible sources for connecting
with the older worker.
Engaging and Retaining
Mature Workers
Become known as an employer of choice for
mature workers.
Talk About Flexibility
Introduce some of the concepts of flexibility
discussed earlier in this booklet, share
appreciation for their skills and experience,
and keep the door open for ongoing
discussion. Most mature workers will be
delighted that you asked!
Honour Experience
Smart organizations pay close attention to
the language used in their work environment.
Highlighting the productivity and effectiveness
of mature workers alongside younger
workers ensures the skills of all generations
are appreciated and valued by everyone in
the organization.
Offer Ongoing Learning
Career development planning, mentoring,
peer-to-peer programs and training courses,
both internal and external, all contribute to
satisfaction levels and overall engagement
in the organization.
“Use [mature workers] as a backup or resource rather than a front
line soldier. Provide them with a
cushion from the stress.”
M.D., Mature Worker
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BookLET 2 - It’s About Ability - How to Attract, Retain and Engage Mature Workers
Way forward...
“It’s About Ability – How to Attract, Retain and Engage
Mature Workers” is the second booklet in a series of four
booklets designed for British Columbia’s business community.
As you move forward in developing strategies to address the
labour shortage, be sure to make use of the foundation booklet
in this series, “How to Attract, Retain and Engage Employees”.
When looking to optimize existing labour pools, remember that,
in particular, mature workers represent new hope and possibilities
for employers in British Columbia. They are interested, capable
and skilled, and bring a depth of experience that is particularly
valuable when facing skills and labour shortages.
The businesses that embrace and commit to employee engagement, developing great
leaders, becoming employers of choice and tapping into specific labour pools will have
the greatest success in dealing with the challenges of the labour storm that British
Columbia and the rest of business world is facing.
Good luck in your journey!
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The Ministry of Economic Development gratefully acknowledges the contributions
of the following organizations in the development and production of the WorkBC Employer’s Tool Kit.
Communication Solutions Inc., New Quest Coaching & Consulting, City of Kamloops, CFDC – CIFN, SPH Consultancy
© 2008 Province of British Columbia. Portions of these materials are reproduced under license from the Venture Kamloops Business Development Society.