Diversity is a subject that is always hot when it comes to improving the workplace environment. However, instead of only considering ethnicity and gender as factors, age should also be taken into account. Age diversity is one of the key elements for an effective and inclusive work environment. Notably, companies that embrace all generations are more likely to succeed since there are at least four different generations in a typical workplace today.
Age diversity refers to having people of diverse ages within the workforce. Companies must adjust to an aging labor force and cease practicing age discrimination at workplaces. Moreover, going beyond the issue of age differences, organisations should become age-attentive employers through strategic recruitment and retention approaches targeting individuals aged 50 years and above. In essence, creation of an age-diverse workplace by employers generates effective and inclusive working cultures. By so doing, you will definitely grow your firm by applying age based methods in it. Below are six reasons why companies of all sizes should promote an age diverse workforce.
For instance, research shows that an organisation with diversified employees on the basis of their ages has high chances of success generally; do you want to increase your output? If your company forms mixed-age teams whose task involves making tough decisions together then it can improve its productivity.
It reduces employee turnover rates thereby benefiting firms in terms of cost savings.
High staff turnover not only costs money but also lowers morale among workers. Having older workers in a company may help reduce labor turnover among employees because they are likely to be more experienced and talented staff members compared to younger ones who would probably be job hopping. The 55-year-old-and-over group leads to lower employee attrition thus triggering enhanced organisational loyalty.
A diverse workforce means that different experiences and perspectives can be shared. Diverse ideas promote innovation. Bringing all the capabilities of its workforce together will enable your organisation to develop innovative and forward-thinking ideas.
Each generation has its own unique abilities that can be utilised in your company. For instance, young employees may have a good knowledge about technology while older ones might be more developed in terms of interpersonal skills. These abilities are notable when used in an organisation with an age-diverse workforce.
Recruiting old staff equips your firm with traditional business skills so that you can reach out to more customers from a larger pool more effectively. An aged worker who is following established business practices probably knows better how to interact with traditional clients.
In workplaces that value age diversity, mentoring is very important. Senior personnel may wish to pass on their many years of experience to newer staff members who are just starting out at the company. Additionally, technology or industry-related expertise can be acquired by older employees from their younger counterparts as well as Professionals from different generations thus providing opportunity for cross-generational mentorship through ongoing learning and skill development which companies must support.