Mature Workers: The Hidden Talent Pool

By Michelle Leendertse and Denis Zikovic

With the Baby Boomer population continuing to age, employers have a unique opportunity to tap into this hidden talent pool. Mature workers offer years of experience, transferable skills, commitment, dedication, strong work ethic, respect, eagerness to learn and an openness to constructive criticism.

By hiring and developing mature workers at their company, employers will not only decrease the need for social and community services used by these individuals, but employers will also gain the benefits that come hand-in-hand with this skilled labour force.

The employment rates in Canada, for men 55 years of age and older have risen from 30.5 percent in 1997, to 39.4 percent in 2010.  The percentages increased even more for women of the same age range, going from 15.8 percent to 28.6 percent (Carrière & Galarneau, 2011). These statistics show that mature workers not only want to contribute in a meaningful way, but may also need to continue to participate in the job market well past the “normal” retirement age in order to meet their financial and family obligations.

The Redirection Project is a CERIC-funded national research initiative designed to explore the motivations for why Canadians over 50 continue to work past retirement or seek out new career directions. If you are a mature worker and would like to participate in this survey, please click on the link below that best describes your experience.

Redirected and working in a career: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/redirectionworking

Seeking redirection and looking for a new Occupation:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q6DZTYF