• Search
  • Home
  • Services
    • Services for Businesses
      • Workshops
      • Consulting
      • Speaking
    • Services for Individuals
      • Workshops
      • Coaching, Advocacy
  • Resources
    • Business Tips
    • Policy & Research
    • Personal & Professional Development
    • Tools
  • Blog
  • Events
  • About
  • News
  • Contact
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Home
  • Resources
  • Services
  • Contact
  • News
  • About
  • Blog
  • Events
  • Search
  1. Home >
  2. The Truth About Aging Workers >

The Truth About Aging Workers

May 4, 2017 | Employers, Human Resources

Ageism is one of the remaining prejudices that go largely unchallenged in the 21st Century. Television and film often depict older adults as out of touch or mentally deteriorating.  Unfortunately, these misperceptions can carry through to real life. Debunking these myths with facts is one of the first steps towards reducing ageism and getting to the truth about growing older.

Myth #1   Boomers take jobs away from younger generations. 

Known as the “lump of labour fallacy” by economists, this false belief promotes the idea that the number of jobs in an economy is fixed. Evidence shows, however, that keeping older people in the workforce is associated with improved employment for younger people. When older people continue to work, they enjoy the benefits of having more money to spend boosting the economy, which in turn creates jobs for everyone.

Myth #2   The expiry date on productivity is 65. Older workers have less to offer as they age.  

There is no relationship between age and job performance according to academic studies when it comes to productivity. In fact, experience is proven to give older adults the performance edge.

Myth #3   Younger entrepreneurs are more successful than older ones. 

Research shows that not only do more older people start businesses but that these businesses are more successful on average.

The average and median age of US born tech founders was 39 when they started their companies. Twice as many were older than 50 as were younger than 25.

From 1996-2007, those between the ages of 55-64 had a higher rate of entrepreneurial activity than their counterparts aged 20-34.  Evidence proves that they are also more successful.

Myth #4   If time is taken off after retirement, it’s impossible to get back into the workforce 

Approximately 40% of those who retire tend to take a break for 2 years and then return. The reason for returning to work is not always out of financial need but for the purpose of maintaining social interactions and keeping minds sharp.

62% of workers aged 65 and older are full time, up from 44% in 1995.

Myth #5   Boomers are unable to find decent jobs. 

This cohort of baby boomers are succeeding at finding jobs with better pay, status and working conditions than older workers of generations in the past.

Sources

  • Harvey Sterns, Journal of Vocational Behavior Volume 47, Issue 3, December 1995, Pages 248-268
  • Kaufman Foundation,  http://www.kauffman.org/microsites/state-of-the-field/topics/background-of-entrepreneurs/demographics/age
  • Dane Strangler, Old and in the Fray: The Coming Entrepreneurship Boom, June 17, 2009, The American https://www.aei.org/publication/old-and-in-the-fray-the-coming-entrepreneurship-boom/
  • Anne Tergesen, Five Myths about Landing a Good Job Later in Life, by Nov. 29, 2016, WSJ) https://www.wsj.com/articles/five-myths-about-landing-a-good-job-later-in-life-1480302842
  • US Bureau of Labour Statistics

0 Comments

← Previous Next →

Categories

  • Advertising
  • Ageing Well
  • Ageism
  • All
  • Anti-ageism movement
  • Co-generate
  • Communication
  • Community
  • Digital etiquette
  • Elders
  • Employers
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Human Resources
  • Inspiration
  • Intergenerational
  • Mixed-age workforce
  • News
  • Online meetings best practices
  • Purpose
  • Virtual meetings

Monthly list

  • July 2023
  • May 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • June 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • January 2022
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • May 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017

Recent posts

  • The All-important factor: Personal Connection
  • Careers That Matter
  • Conversations That Matter: Over 60s add value to businesses
  • Co-Generate (Generate Together) for a Better Future
  • The 100-year life is here
  • Demographics and Ageism Contribute to Labour Shortage in Canada
  • How younger and older workers benefit each other
  • Mind Your #AgeSpeak
  • Communications Across Our Mixed-age Society
  • Ageism Towards Our Ageing Workforce

Archives

  • July 2023
  • May 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • June 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • January 2022
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • May 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017

Categories

  • Advertising
  • Ageing Well
  • Ageism
  • All
  • Anti-ageism movement
  • Co-generate
  • Communication
  • Community
  • Digital etiquette
  • Elders
  • Employers
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Human Resources
  • Inspiration
  • Intergenerational
  • Mixed-age workforce
  • News
  • Online meetings best practices
  • Purpose
  • Virtual meetings

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

GET OUR FREE NEWSLETTER AND IMPORTANT EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS!

SIGN UP NOW
  • Home
  • Services
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • About
  • Events
  • Blog

©  2020  The Top Sixty Over Sixty. All rights reserved.

CONTACT US
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow

©  2020  The Top Sixty Over Sixty. All rights reserved.

Cleantalk Pixel