Recently, I had the honor of testifying before the Senate Special Committee on Aging. I came with two numbers I want every employer in America to sit with. In 1994, roughly 12% of Americans 65 and older were still in the workforce. Today, that number is nearly 19.3%. And rising. The fastest-growing segment of the U.S. labor force over the next decade? Workers 75 and older. Now here's what I think we get wrong about this. The conversation usually defaults to financial necessity: The idea people work longer because they have to. Many don't have to. They choose to. Because there is dignity in work. Purpose. Connection. And research shows that working beyond traditional retirement age is linked to a 9% to 11% lower risk of all-cause mortality. This isn't just good for people. It's good for business. Nearly 7 in 10 organizations report difficulty filling roles, while one of the most capable talent pools in America sits overlooked. Increasing the share of workers 50 and older by just 10% is associated with a 1.1% gain in productivity. SHRM data shows over 80% of HR professionals say older workers bring exceptional reliability and expertise. More than 90% say they perform as well as or better than other employees. And among HR professionals who work directly with older employees, 74% report positive experiences, with 88% saying older workers perform better than or much better than other employees. Yet 93% of organizations surveyed have no formal recruitment programs targeting this group. What I asked of our legislators, I'll ask of every employer reading this: 🔲 Build intentional recruitment strategies for experienced workers. 🔲 Create real flexibility (part-time roles, job sharing, phased retirement options). 🔲 Invest in mentorship that runs in both directions. 🔲 Provide access to reskilling, particularly in technology and AI. We also need to examine policies like the Retirement Earnings Test, which can inadvertently penalize older Americans for continuing to contribute. Talent does not expire. It evolves. The question is whether our organizations will. #FutureOfWork #WorkforceDevelopment #AgingWorkforce #TalentStrategy #HRLeadership #SHRM #Leadership
Such an important message. From an HR perspective, talent should never be reduced to age. Experienced workers bring reliability, perspective, institutional wisdom, and often a strong sense of purpose that adds real value to teams. The opportunity for employers is not just to talk about inclusion, but to build workplaces and hiring strategies that truly make room for multigenerational talent.
This is where we come in at 55/Redefined and the Age-Friendly Institute, a 55/Redefined Company where we are age-enabling over 300 global corporates. We are the only global co gathering demographic workforce data and thus would love a conversation Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP on this topic…
Powerful—and necessary. Because this reframes the entire conversation: Talent doesn’t decline with age—systems fail to evolve with it. What we’re seeing is not a shortage of capability, but a shortage of inclusive, adaptive structures that can harness it. At Jeuel Transformation, we teach: The strength of an organization is measured by how well it utilizes the full spectrum of its talent. This is both a leadership and a systems opportunity.
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, interesting timing because Indeed Flex just released a new survey of retirees that found nearly one in three retirees (30%) are either working or open to temporary or flexible jobs. While 69% say they miss earning income, more than half of retirees (52%) report missing social interaction, and 39% miss feeling productive. This aligns with findings from the Employee Benefit Research Institute/Greenwald Research 2025 Retirement Confidence Survey, where of the 29% of retiree respondents working in retirement, almost nine out of ten say they are doing so because they want to stay active and involved (89%) or they enjoy working (88%). https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inflation-reshapes-retirement-as-63-of-seniors-cite-cost-of-living-as-driver-for-returning-to-work-302724236.html https://www.ebri.org/docs/default-source/rcs/2025-rcs/rcs_25-fs-2.pdf?sfvrsn=f3e3042f_2
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, this is an important call to action. The data is clear. Experienced workers are not only staying in the workforce, they are strengthening it. Purpose, connection, and the dignity of work matter, and the numbers you shared show the impact that seasoned talent brings to performance, reliability, and organizational stability. The real gap is not capability. It is the lack of intentional strategies to recruit, support, and retain this group. Talent does not expire. It grows in value. The organizations that understand this will be the ones that stay competitive in the years ahead.
Love this! Sometimes the generations clash. But sometimes? There's a magic that can happen! Different experiences, knowledge, and talents joining forces. There's something to be gained here!
I operated my business till I was 86 years old. I still work part time.
This is such an important perspective - experience is so undervalued in hiring conversations today. Feels like companies are missing out on a huge advantage by not tapping into this talent pool more intentionally.
Love this. Older employees bring reliability, wisdom, and mentorship that can’t be taught. Investing in them isn’t just ethical—it’s smart business.
Thank you, SHRM team and Emily, for joining this important conversation on the economic, organizational, and personal value of older workers, and the need to align workplace practices and public policy with the realities of today’s workforce.