A new survey from Investors Group has found that 96% of Canadian small and medium-sized businesses agree that workers 65 years and older offer more valuable experience and expertise than younger workers, but don’t expect this group to be filling their job openings.
Eighty-five percent of respondents also said that this older group of workers are just as productive as younger workers and 79% agreed that senior workers have the required level of energy and ambition for their jobs. Additionally, 69% said that the older group of workers was not more expensive to employ.
Despite these figures, small business owners aren’t predisposed to put this demographic on the payroll as new workers. The study reveals that while 31% of small business owners currently have employment opportunities within their organizations, 79% believe it’s not likely that the position will be filled by someone older than 65 now, or in the future (64%).
Where to look?
So if employers aren’t looking to fill opening with older workers, where should this demographic look for work?
Fifty-one percent of respondents recommend that older workers try to make an arrangement with their current employer before looking elsewhere or suggested reaching out to other employers in their current area of expertise when looking for employment.