“There's a perception that we [workers over 50] are kind of on the down slope, that we’ve got our plans in place and we're starting to look toward retirement,” says Raquel Wiley, chair of the Alliance for Channel Women’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Committee and vice president of marketing at NetFortris. “And while that may be the case for some, it's not the case for all. You have others that I believe are willing to learn new skill sets.”
Indeed, according to AARP, two-thirds of older workers have taken some type of skills training in the past two years, and 77% show very strong interest in acquiring computer or other technology training in the next year.
To recruit and hire older workers, Hannon says to first look internally for any unconscious bias. “If you're the CEO of a company or you're the hiring manager, how are you reflecting the values that you're saying? Look at your website. Are you showing only younger workers?”
Finally, channel pros may want to follow the example of Microsoft, which signed the AARP Employer Pledge promoting equal opportunity for all workers, regardless of age.
Say Wiley, “I think that there is an opportunity for us to open those doors and fill some of those gaps that we're seeing.”
Photo: iStock Photo
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