Table of Contents: Age-Inclusive Hiring
Short on Hands? Age-Inclusive Hiring Can Be The Answer
Across nearly every industry, there has been a heightened difficulty in discovering and recruiting qualified talent. We dive into this phenomenon in our recently published 2026 Recruitment Trends Report, which is an ongoing concern for employers and recruiters across the globe this year and doesn’t see any sign in slowing down.
While common advice ranges from joining more job boards, hiring recruiters, and networking at industry events and college campuses, there is another source of qualified candidates that almost ALL of recruiters are overlooking. We’re talking about seniors.
And while the initial impression among recruiters is that the older workforce is ramping up for retirement (and many are), there are still a large number of seniors who are deciding to work past the traditional retirement age for personal reasons. According to SHRM and BLS, there are roughly 11½ to 12 million seniors age 65 and older currently working in the United States, which is about 7% of all employed people and about one in five people in that age group.
So, as you can see, age-inclusive hiring can become be the easiest solution to ongoing talent shortages, offering organizations an often-overlooked pool of skilled, loyal, and adaptable workers.
Older Workers: Untapped Talent
Despite the fact that 92% of HR professionals report that older workers perform as well as or better than younger employees, 93% of organizations lack targeted programs to recruit them. Just imagine if we could tap into these talent pools!
Mature talent (age 65+) brings 83% higher loyalty, possesses specialized knowledge often missing in younger candidates, and shows strong confidence in adopting new technologies, including AI. Recent research and workforce data show that older employees also consistently demonstrate performance, commitment, and learning agility, making them critical to bridging skill gaps and future-proofing business strategy.
In 2024, Forbes underscored that age diversity is increasingly seen as a crucial people strategy for addressing talent gaps and boosting organizational innovation. Now that we are entering 2026, we see no sign of change in this regard.
The Business Benefits of Age-Inclusive Hiring
Age-diverse teams, which include a blend of generations, produce stronger knowledge transfer, resilient decision-making, and improved team cohesion. The different experiences and values from diverse generations can help influence more functional teams, exposing coworkers to new ideas and ways of thinking. When you bring in the older generation, you can discover many hard-working people who aren’t really interested in job hopping either. Companies incorporating older workers benefit from:
- 1. Reduced turnover and associated recruitment costs. Did you know that workers over 50 are about five times less likely to change jobs than workers in their early 20s, reflecting much lower job‑hopping at older ages?
- 2. Enhanced mentoring and knowledge sharing with junior colleagues. The wealth of knowledge and wisdom gained through their years makes older candidates a treasure trove of experience to share with younger coworkers.
- Higher productivity and morale due to stable, reliable team members.
- New perspectives that drive innovation and comprehensive problem-solving across teams.
Recent survey evidence shows that many people approaching or in retirement are delaying or reconsidering retirement, so now is a great time to expand your candidate pool. One 2025 survey of pre‑retirees over 50 reported that about 70% were considering delaying their planned retirement date.
Addressing Barriers and Building Inclusive Practices
Unfortunately, ageism in the workforce is a real thing. Many older candidates face systemic barriers, from age bias in job descriptions to technologies that alienate rather than include. Forward-thinking organizations can address these by:
- Using age-neutral language in ads and promoting job opportunities across age groups.
- Providing skills training, especially in new technologies.
- Offering flexible, phased, or consulting-based work arrangements which align with the flexibility older workers desire.
- Structuring mentorship programs that pair seasoned talent with emerging professionals, boosting engagement and culture.
With shrinking younger talent pipelines and increasing numbers of experienced adults remaining in or returning to the workforce, age-inclusive strategies are essential. Why spend extra time competing for the same candidates as other rival companies instead of looking elsewhere for equally dedicated, hard-working candidates? Not only do these efforts address immediate skill shortages, but they also ensure sustainable workforce health and innovation as demographics shift.
Strategic Takeaways
Age-inclusive hiring is becoming a business necessity as younger talent pools shrink. While other companies aren’t actively looking in this demographic, you can build programs for recruiting, retraining, and retaining older workers, unlocking a proven workforce advantage.
HR teams can lead the way by training on age bias, tracking key metrics like retention by age cohort, and recognizing the role of seasoned professionals in organizational knowledge transfer and coaching. Overall, organizations that broaden their view of talent to include all generations—especially experienced older adults—position themselves to close skill gaps and remain competitive in the evolving landscape of work.
Hire Candidates in Their Golden Years for a Shiny Future
Embracing age-inclusive hiring is more than just a social or compliance goal. It can become an essential business strategy for solving persistent talent shortages. By recognizing the value that experienced professionals bring, organizations not only bridge critical skills gaps but also enhance their innovation, resilience, and overall team performance.
As workforce demographics continue to shift, companies that invest in age diversity stand to benefit from greater loyalty, deeper institutional knowledge, and a stronger competitive edge. Ultimately, workplaces that prioritize inclusion at every stage ensure sustainable success for people of all ages and for the business itself.
