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Training a mixed-age workforce - the facts, not the myths
Learning, training and re-training are essential to a flexible and capable labour market. Why then do older people in particular, frequently get overlooked for training? It is likely that employers have heard and believed the negative stereotypes about older workers being resistant to change and harder and more time consuming to train. These are in fact myths and frequently based on assumptions rather than experience.
Isn’t training older workers a wasted investment ?
No. Did you know that by 2010, 40 per cent of the workforce will be aged 45 and over. People are living longer and the average age of the workforce is rising.
Your business success depends on keeping both your older and younger workers up-skilled.
To avoid skills shortages, you need to retain older workers in the workforce for longer. Offer them greater training opportunities and recognise they are a valuable resource for your business success. Most skills have a three to five year shelf-life therefore it is worthwhile investing in anyone who is likely to stay at least that long.
Employees aged over 50 are likely to stay with their employer until retirement providing up to 15 years or more labour.
Aren’t older workers too old to learn new skills ?
The truth is that older workers are as successful in learning new skills, including new technologies, as younger workers. Where workers have not undertaken training for some time, training practices that focus on small steps in learning can help ensure that all workers reach the same level of performance and acquire qualifications in the same proportions.
There is no diminishment in productivity and capacity with age for most job functions. Only where older workers do not receive the same level of training as younger workers does their performance show a difference.
My older workers aren’t interested in training, so why should I bother ?
It isn’t necessarily that older workers aren’t interested, education and training was very different in the past. There wasn’t the reliance on new technology and only a small percentage of those aged 50 and over achieved higher or advanced level educational qualifications to meet employers needs and the needs of the jobs. Education and training tended to be ‘on-the-job’ and through apprenticeships.
However, research shows that older learners are effective learners once they start and are as capable as younger adults of retaining and putting into practice what they have learned.
Training older workers is too costly isn’t it ? I can’t afford to release all my workers for training, my business depends on keeping staff at work.
No. Helping all your employees to update existing skills and gain new skills will help them sustain productive and satisfying employment. Benefits of training include:
- higher competence
- improved quality of service
- increased motivation and retention
- raised commitment
- reduced absenteeism.
Related information
Age legislation - information for employers and individuals
Date: 28 Jul 06
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