Mature workers offer a rich well of expertise to both employers and their co-workers. Sadly, there is evidence that employers are underutilising this excellent resource.
One-third of the New Zealand workforce is aged 50 or older, whilst 30% of workers aged 50-64 are receiving Jobseeker support, according to government figures. Further, a third of 60-64 year olds today are still active in the labour market compared to 1987. With New Zealand’s workforce forecasted to increase in age over the next decade – alongside a worsening skills shortage – we see a growing pool of mature talent to draw from that remains untapped.
The more mature and experienced candidates may face an uphill battle when looking for work. Research by New Zealand Senior found that 13% of working people aged 50 or above have been turned down for a role because of their age. Those who were rejected for a role say the main reasons were being perceived as overqualified (42%), perceived as not the right fit for the company (40%), and perceived as not being able to keep up with younger generations (38%).
The research also found that 71% of respondents believe ageism in the workplace is ‘reasonably or extremely prevalent these days’, with 30% observing an increased prevalence of ageism compared to five years ago.
We’ll highlight a few business-critical benefits of employing workers with extensive experience and how to make the recruitment process fairer for mature candidates.
Experience and Expertise
One of the key advantages of mature workers is the years of experience and expertise they bring to an organisation, which is invaluable for problem-solving and decision-making. As graduate numbers for specific disciplines dwindle, older workers can provide your organisation with instant access to a refined skillset – with minimal investment in onboarding and training.
With years of experience interacting with various people, the more experienced workers often excel in communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution, especially relative to younger workers who simply haven’t had the time to develop these crucial interpersonal skills.
Mature workers often possess strong leadership skills, making them effective team leaders – or at least good role models for their colleagues.
Strong Work Ethic and Loyalty
Older workers often bring a level of dependability that sets them apart. Their reliability, punctuality, and focus on the job mean they’re more likely to be consistent and require minimal supervision.
Numerous studies have shown that mature workers change jobs less frequently and have lower absenteeism rates compared to younger workers, which can provide more stability and reduce turnover costs. Past MBIE research found that mature workers had been in their current main role for twice as long as prime-aged workers and mean job tenure increased with age.
The higher level of discretionary effort and commitment that older workers bring can drive significant efficiency and productivity in your teams.
Developing Younger Workers
Your younger employees will always benefit from working with older colleagues who offer valuable professional and life experience. Without this guidance, it can be much harder for employers to teach young workers quickly and develop into their best selves at work.
Employing mature workers can provide an invaluable mentoring resource for your organisation – and not just for junior colleagues. Should you have younger team leaders who are reluctant to manage workers, consider that mentoring can be a two-way street. Reverse mentoring, where younger employees mentor those more experienced colleagues (typically in areas where the younger generation has more expertise, like digital tech), can be a powerful tool for professional development in your organisation.
How to Avoid Discriminating Against Mature Candidates
Taping into the diverse and highly skilled talent pool of seasoned professionals helps you review your organisation’s recruitment practices.
Remove Biased Language from Job Ads
Beware of using terms like ‘early career professional’, ‘recent graduate’, ‘digital native’ and ‘energetic’, and look to replace them with terms that describe specific skills.
Adjust Application Filters
If you are using an ATS or a similar platform to field job applicants, remove questions that force job seekers to reveal their age, such as date of birth or graduation year.
Use Skills as An Objective Measure
By focusing only on essential skills and relevant experience, hiring managers can make more objective decisions. Mature candidates are often told they are "overqualified" or "not the right fit for the team", which is a subjective judgment that doesn’t articulate whether they can perform the job effectively.
Set Salary Ranges According to the Role
A common misconception about older workers is that they are expensive to hire because they are likely to demand higher starting salaries due to their experience. In fact, 26% of older workers highlighted this issue in the New Zealand Seniors' survey.
To ensure fairness and inclusivity in your hiring practices, set base salaries according to the role and its level of responsibility rather than tenure. Tenure should only influence pay if it directly correlates with the experience and skills that add value to the organisation.
Offer Flexible Working Options
Providing options such as part-time hours, job sharing, and remote or hybrid working arrangements can help broaden your talent pool to include mature workers who might need to juggle personal commitments.
Partner with the Premier New Zealand Recruitment Agency
Employing workers with extensive experience can bring vital skills and expertise to your organisation. Having an experienced New Zealand recruitment partner (with their own diverse and mature team) at your side can help you uncover qualified mature professionals for your hard-to-fill roles.
Beyond Recruitment can connect you with experienced mature workers through various options, including:
Part-time
Casual basis
On-call basis
Remote work
Hybrid work-from-home arrangements
Fixed-term contracts
Contracting basis
Temporary staffing solutions
Reach out to our team today for support with growing your team with mature and experienced talent. We can help you identify and hire exceptional, seasoned professionals with our comprehensive recruitment solutions. Contact us today to find out more.
