In my work, I have met with a number of people who are in their middle age and senior years who have reported that they have difficulties getting a job because potential employers seem to prefer to employ younger workers. This issue appears to be faced more often by the senior workers who may have limited education qualifications.
Anyway, yesterday, I encountered two incidents whereby it proves that senior workers, those who are in their middle age or even senior years, can contribute.
I went to a shop selling items for travellers to enquire on a purchase that I have made a day ago. I could not understand the instructions for resetting the password of the combination-lock. I first consulted a young lady. She demonstrated how I could reset the password. I happily thought I have learnt how to reset the password so I left.
After I was out of the shop, I gave myself the test of resetting the password but I found out that I still could not reset the password on my own. I went back to the shop, and was approached by a man in his senior years. He took time to dmonstrate the steps for me and even urged me to try the steps in front of him for a few times. Admittedly, I have found the pace of his instructions a little too slow for me. He asked me to reset the password in front of him not just once, but twice! He even repeated the instructions to me a few times even though I told him I have understood the steps. However, in retrospect, I think he meant well to want to ensure that I have truly understood the steps involved to reset the password of the combination-lock. The truth is that I have learnt and understood the steps fully. The better part is that I need not return to the shop to ask for another demonstration. Many thanks to this gentleman for his patience and helpfulness.
Later in the evening, I was looking for a particular brand of oil-paints. I was at Art Friend. I met a gentleman in his middle-age years too. He was so kind to go the extra mile to check Art Friend's database to check if any of the Art Friend's stores would carry that particular product. Art Friend did not carry that product, but he gave me some leads to a possible source to follow-up on. I wonder if I could find that product for I was told by a few key art-materials suppliers that this product is not available in the Singapore market anymore.
Anyway, the key message of this post is to state through my own personal experiences that older workers can contribute. They are assets to an organisation. Perhaps the thing is to match older workers to suitable jobs that would best tap on their skills and experiences.
4 comments:
Senior workers may not have high education but their experiences built up through the golden years are far more valuable to a company.
i have made it a point to hire staffs well over the age of 50, and have done so in my other location. two old men, one 55, another 70~!!!
other times, i hired over 47 yrs of age. countless times even when i was having a boutique.
the old must not be discarded in society.
Once you're over 40, most employers would find you too expensive and slow to keep.
I sympathise with older workers especially those over 60s or 70s working as cleaners and dishwashers at hawker centres or food courts.
They should be enjoying their retirement years or taking on lighter duties.
We need to plan for our retirement years. It's good to still be working but we need to enjoy our remaining days.
Doreen: Their experiences are indeed valuable. This afternoon, my colleague reminded me it was probably because of built-up experience that the gentleman from the art shop could help provide me with leads to a shop that I have not heard about.
Misti: Cheers for making efforts to consider older workers.
eastcoastlife: I sympathise with these older workers too. I wonder if there would be more suitable, lighter duties for them that could tap on their years of wisdom and experience?
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