Is your company looking for more skilled workers? Then you may want to consider hiring older workers. People with many years of experience bring a lot to the table that some more inexperienced workers may not. 

If you’re considering several people for a position, below are several reasons you might want to give the nod to the more experienced worker. 

Also, remember that employers need to consider all qualified individuals for a job; age discrimination is a growing problem in the US. By considering older workers for your company, you can hopefully prevent issues with discrimination cases. 

Older employees bring more years of experience, critical thinking, and knowledge that cannot be easily taught in a university classroom. In some professions, such as jewelers, it can take many years of work to gain the skills to perform the job well. 

Some company owners who have hired older and younger workers comment that while young people have a positive, can-do attitude, the more senior employee may make fewer mistakes because she has been down this road before and knows the questions to ask. 

Other company leaders say there is much to be said for work experience. It’s similar to playing the piano: You can have lessons and get a lot of training, but it’s nothing like playing the piano well for 20 years. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2020 that the median tenure of employees between the ages of 55-64 was more than 10 years. That was at least three times for employees from 25-34. 

Companies that deal with more turnover, such as restaurants and retail, often say they would instead hire the more experienced worker who has a family to support. They have a purpose of coming to work and tend to stay longer. 

Some business owners say they’ve hired workers at 60 who sometimes stay more than 10 years. Few thought they would continue to work that long, but older workers just stick to the same job. 

Many business owners maintain that older employees are the first to show up for work, stay focused all day, and don’t usually take days off. Some restaurants and bars like to hire older workers because they have such a strong work ethic. Some more than 60 simply love to work and don’t even want to take a vacation. 

People who have been working for many years in one place tend to know the company’s business well and have personal networks that the business may find useful. For example, a restaurant owner in Long Island said recently that their older chefs have been with them for 15 years. They know the business, the food, the way around the kitchen. Younger chefs have a more challenging time because it takes years to understand the recipes and more experienced chefs. 

Perhaps the most common knock on older workers is they didn’t grow up with cell phones and the Internet, so they aren’t as technically savvy as millennials. Companies that expect all of their employees to learn new technology often find that older workers do just as well at picking up new technical skills.

It helps to pair an older worker who isn’t familiar with technology with a tech-savvy younger worker. 

If you’re ready to bring new people on board, it’s essential to consider what older workers bring to the equation. Experience, high degrees of skill, and work ethic top the list, and your company can benefit from their vast knowledge.