With all the talk these days about the prospect of two old fogies vying for the most stressful job on the planet (update: now it’s just one), maybe it’s time to take a new look at older workers. After all, the U.S. workforce is grayer than ever. Even though Gen Z is quickly catching up and getting ready to overtake baby boomers in the workplace, there are more workers over age 65 in the U.S. than ever before. A Pew Research survey found that nearly a fifth of Americans aged 65 and older were employed in 2023. It's a phenomenon that's leading to new definitions of what it means to work.
In defense of older brains
Should we be concerned about older workers? Thing is, while normal aging often includes some declines in cognitive function, or "senior moments," it's good to remember that older brains are wiser brains in many ways. First, older brains have more crystallized intelligence—that stored intelligence that's gained as we amass knowledge from our experiences over the course of our lifetimes. That accumulated knowledge and experience can also lead to greater emotional intelligence, because the experiences we have throughout our lives teach us how to understand and control our emotions. (Ideally.)
Even in your 80s, your brain will still have plasticity—if you nurture it, create new experiences, and continue to be social and engaged. After all, look at Martha Stewart, who always seems to be looking for new experiences like her collaboration with Snoop Dogg. Or Jane Fonda, who continues to be an actor and activist. Or Anthony Hopkins, who, at 86, not only still works in the industry but also is active on TikTok. In every area, in fact, there are still many older people who are actively working and being productive.
Granted, not everyone is a “superager.” But, it has been proven that a positive attitude about aging can help you live and enjoy life longer. Several studies over the past two decades have shown that people who think positively about getting older can actually improve their brain health and even live longer. This is because, when you feel happy or optimistic, cortisol decreases and the brain produces serotonin to create a feeling of well-being. So, you feel less anxious and more focused and emotionally stable.
According to Daniel Goleman, author of Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence, positive emotions actually broaden our mental functions. When happy thoughts occur, there is brain growth in the prefrontal cortex through the reinforcement and generation of new synapses.
Redefining retirement
Over the years, I’ve written a lot about seniors, the brain, and the U.S. workplace. And what I’ve learned is that boomers as a group don’t view retirement the way it’s been viewed in the past—as the beginning of the end, to put it bluntly. They’re not about to slow down. In fact, in many cases, they have gained the confidence to take risks that wouldn’t have felt comfortable in the past.
As a result, more and more Americans are spending their golden years on the job. According to a recent study by AARP, 26% of Americans over 50 who are not yet retired say they expect never to retire. These are the people who are not content to (or, frankly, simply can’t afford to) retire and spend their time on a golf course—and want to focus in the second half of life focused on continuing to contribute and finding work that matters.
Boomers are great work partners
In addition to the experience and insights they can offer, boomers can be wonderful work partners. First, and maybe most important, they want to work. While some may need to for financial reasons, many enjoy the personal fulfillment that comes from continuing to be busy and productive. Others actually don’t know what they’d do with themselves if they weren’t working.
With all the years they put in building their careers, they possess valuable knowledge that makes faster and more confident decision making possible. They can also call on that experience in mentoring younger workers. And, because they worked for many years without cell phones and social media, many are more focused on actual, face-to-face conversations and making genuine connections with the people they work with every day.
And, let’s face it: With all the remote work options available today, it's easier than ever for older workers to continue to work even while living close to family or in retirement-friendly areas. But, even in the event of a return-to-office mandate, they'll be happy to come into the office, too.
It’s a multi-generation world of work
For the first time in history, there are many workplaces staffed with individuals spanning six generations—from octogenarians the emerging General Apha—and the Boomers, GenX, Millennials and GenZ in between. Why not take advantage of everybody’s unique skillsets?
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