Given that the Great Resignation is slowing down a bit and we are squarely in the Great Reshuffle, the Great Reckoning, and the Great Renegotiation, now may be a good time for those who participated in the Great Retirement to re-enter the workforce. The longer employees hold out for working conditions that better accommodate their lives, the sooner employers will have to consider both retaining and hiring non-traditional employees.
Good News and Bad News
The good news is, we’re living longer. The bad news is, we’re living longer. Current life expectancy in the United States is 78.99 years, but a 40-year-old employee is considered old according to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Even the federal government recognizes that the older we get, the fewer opportunities we have. Ageism is real, a waste of talent, and hard to prove. For example, you’ve probably heard myths about older workers such as: they lack energy, they are technologically incapable, and they aren’t willing to learn new ways of doing things. But don’t you know 28 year olds that fit that description too? Take a look around your company. Who is getting hired? Who is getting offered early retirement packages? Is anyone talking about how mature employees are typically:
- more loyal
- not interested in climbing much higher on the corporate ladder
- good decision makers
- effective communicators and managers
- time flexible because their kids are grown and flown
- less concerned about feeding their egos
- energized by working with diverse teams
You haven’t heard those talking points? I suspected as much. But wise companies will figure out how to retain older workers. It costs more to hire employees than to hold on to them. Gone are the days when an organization could replace a long-term individual contributor with an unpaid intern.
Go For It
Everyone in the workforce over 40 years old has faced a job hunt, so don’t let pride sabotage your search. If you decide to come out of retirement, but don’t know where to start, reach out to former colleagues for coffee and catchup. When the opportunity presents itself, be ready to briefly tell your story and be clear about what you’re looking for. Not sure what you want to do?
- Get involved with an organization like Silver is Gold
- Consider part-time, seasonal, and short-term contract positions
- Contact a nonprofit and volunteer. Do they need board members? Do they have working committees?
- If you want to go back to work in a different industry than you left, can you job shadow someone in your area of interest?
- Do you know any start ups that need help?
- Does anyone in your network know any entrepreneurs who will trade experience for work?
The way work gets done is rapidly evolving. If there is work you’ve always wanted to do, there is no better time to go for it than right now.
Have you joined the Great Reshuffle? Please share your experience in the comments.