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Employers can't afford to ax mature workers, say researchers:
In a new article in the Australian Journal of Management, researchers warn employers not to make hasty decisions in either dismissing or discounting the input of older workers.
"Employers are well known for targeting mature workers when downsizing their workforce—but this might be a costly mistake," says Dr. Valerie Caines.
She notes that governments can also overlook the value of older workers, as shown by the SA Government recently pulling its funding to DOME (the Don't Overlook Mature Experience training organization), which provided valuable support services to mature job seekers.
"A common mistake is to think of mature workers as all being the same," says Dr. Caines. "There is huge variation among mature workers' motivations, capabilities and needs. Their experience is especially valuable now, because mature workers can offer considerable value to an organization during a crisis and play an important role in helping a business progress to the 'next normal.'"
Dr. Caines says older workers may also hold the solution for filling employment gaps in organizations, due to diverse skill sets they have developed through their working life.
"Mature adults demonstrate considerable resilience," she says. "The aspect of role modeling resilience is an especially important influence on younger workers. It includes mature coping strategies, emotional intelligence and empathy—and these attributes have never been more important in the workforce."
Journal Reference:
Valerie Dawn Caines et al. Older workers: Past, present and future, Australian Journal of Management (2020). DOI: 10.1177/0312896220918912
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday June 30 2020, @03:33PM (2 children)
I've noticed several of our older workers being retained "on a part time basis," meaning that they no longer receive benefits.
It's consistent with the HR messaging of "adjusting our compensation package to remain competitive with the current business environment" - code for: anywhere else you go is going to screw you just as bad, so we've got to screw you too to stay competitive. Meanwhile shareholders continue to receive their expected 7+% CAGR, and our bonuses drop to 0 if we fail to deliver at least 6.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 30 2020, @03:47PM
Fortunately many of our older workers were able to buy a house and got pensions for when they retire. These new fucks, they don't stand a chance.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 30 2020, @08:59PM
Ah yes, they tried that one on me after they'd made me redundant...I got the phone call when someone pointed out to manglement who'd been complaining about idle machinery and outstanding orders that they'd just 'let go' the only person that they had working for them who knew how to operate and maintain their ancient CAD/CAM system, and who'd designed all the products they churned out.
I told them, literally, to go to fuck and never bother me again. Burn bridges?, fucking nuke them from orbit with dirty warheads....
11 months or so later, ran into someone who still worked there..was told that the CNC equipment had lain idle all that time, despite attempts to get one of their bright young things to run it.