6 Tips for Reaching and Managing Older Workers

A solid workplace will be diverse and filled with employees of various ages. This diversity can help the business continue as more seasoned workers can provide examples for and train younger ones, and can also make room for better creativity and opportunities for growth. If you have this diversity, you have taken a great step as a business owner. Still, you will also need to understand how to properly manage seasoned, older workers to ensure they enjoy the same job satisfaction as their younger counterparts. If you’re not sure where to get started, below are a few starting places.

1. Share Leadership Responsibilities

Older workers who have been with the company for a while are well aware of the company’s needs and have proved their loyalty. Invite them to provide insight into company decisions and business matters or get their feedback on projects or new organizational strategies. They will be able to offer different perspectives that may be beneficial.

2. Don’t Micromanage Them

When workers have been at their jobs for an extended period, they know what they are doing and don’t need someone hovering over them to ensure they are doing it as they should. Avoid the urge to micromanage older workers. Doing so may make them feel like you don’t trust them or feel they are no longer competent to do their job, which may lead to lower job satisfaction.

3. Provide Mentoring Opportunities

After years on the job, most older workers enjoy imparting their knowledge to new or younger workers. Give them the opportunity to do so by asking them to mentor one of the younger workers or a less experienced one. The benefits of this are two-fold. First, they will provide invaluable training and lessons from their years of experience. Secondly, they will feel valued, making them more productive and happier workers.

4. Provide Them With Learning Opportunities

Just because a seasoned worker has been at their job for a long time doesn’t mean they can’t or don’t want to learn about new processes, technology, or other innovations in their industry. When new opportunities for learning and training arise, invite your older workers to participate.

5. Provide Them Autonomy

Small businesses with rigid one-way, top-down management styles rarely run efficiently and often experience higher-than-average turnover. In many cases, older workers may know more than their managers regarding their specific department or job duties. Empower them to make decisions or bring solutions to management so they feel their experience is not wasted.

6. Offer Them Supervising Roles

Older workers are perfect for supervisory roles in small businesses. They have the knowledge and experience of the work being done. They likely have done many of the jobs the incoming workers will need to perform, and they will understand the culture of the business.

Important Disclosures:

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however, LPL Financial makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy.

This article was prepared by WriterAccess.

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Footnotes: 1 5 Effective Ways That Good Leaders Manage Older Workers, Inc.com, https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/5-effective-ways-that-good-leaders-manage-older-workers.html

2 Managing Workers Who Are Older and More Experienced Than You, SRHM.com, https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/people-managers/pages/young-managers-supervising-older-workers-.aspx

Sources

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/5-effective-ways-that-good-leaders-manage-older-workers.html

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/people-managers/pages/young-managers-supervising-older-workers-.aspx

Chris Marshall

Chris Marshall is a Wealth Advisor with Fusion Financial Group, an independent financial planning firm and fiduciary based in Denver, CO. Located in Wisconsin, Chris has 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. At the beginning of his career, he specialized in both portfolio construction and real estate products, fostering a diverse understanding of investment markets. He is compassionate, motivated and hardworking, making him a natural fit as a Wealth Advisor within an independent financial planning firm. Chris focuses on coaching small business owners and new investors. Chris majored in Business Administration at Colorado State University. Since then, he has built a background in investment model design and securities. Chris received the designation of Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF^®), a symbol of his dedication to upholding the fiduciary standard for clients. When not working, Chris spends time at home in Appleton, Wisconsin with his wife, Kayla, and two young daughters, Winnie and Marlee. Chris grew up in Colorado and is a rabid Denver Broncos fan that can trace his legacy season tickets back several generations!   Chris enjoys traveling, attending live concerts and watching just about any type of sporting event. To learn more about Chris, connect with him on LinkedIn.