Survey points out benefits of hiring older workers

Companies need to more carefully consider older workers as part of their hiring plans – especially since, in a tight economy, each new hire takes on even more importance, according to research by Sirota Survey Intelligence, specialists in attitude research.

Research by Sirota (www.sirota.com) confirms that older workers bring a higher level of satisfaction, pride and willingness to go the “extra mile” to their jobs than younger generations, while simultaneously expressing the strongest satisfaction with the fairness of their compensation. The findings are from a major study of cross-generational attitudes of more than 300,000 workers in more than 50 organizations that the employee attitude research firm surveyed during 2007 and 2006. That study encompassed four generational groups:

• Traditionalists – ages 63 and older

• Baby Boomers – ages 43-62

• Generation X – ages 28-42

• Generation Y – ages 27 and younger

“Among all employees, ‘Traditionalist’ or mature workers feel their skills are being best utilized, and are best able to understand how their job connects to the overall goals of the company. They are the most satisfied with their jobs, and are among the most likely to advocate for the company,” said Douglas Klein, President of Sirota Survey Intelligence. “Also, this pattern does not vary by the length of time the employee has been with a company – putting to rest the theory older workers are simply longer-tenured and, therefore, making more money, resulting in their being more satisfied and motivated.”

According to the results of Sirota’s research (percentage expressing a favorable rating):

• Traditionalists have the highest overall satisfaction with their employers

- Traditionalists (85% favorable)

- Generation Y (79%)

- Generation X (77%)

- Baby Boomers (74%)

• Traditionalists are tied with Baby Boomers as the most willing to “go the extra mile” for their employers

- Traditionalists and Baby Boomers (each 81% favorable)

- Generation X (77%)

- Generation Y (72%)

• Traditionalists have the most pride in working for their employers

- Traditionalists (89%)

- Generation Y (85%)

- Generation X (81%)

- Baby Boomers (79%).

• Traditionalists feel strongest that they are fairly compensated for their work

- Traditionalists (61%)

- Generation Y (55%)

- Generation X and Baby Boomers (both tied at 53%)

• Traditionalists have the highest satisfaction with the jobs they perform

- Traditionalists (76%)

- Generation Y (74%)

- Baby Boomers (71%)

- Generation X (70%).

• Traditionalists feel strongest that their jobs make good use of their skills and abilities

- Traditionalists (84%)

- Baby Boomers (80%)

- Generation X (78%)

- Generation Y (76%)

“Of particular interest is the nine-point difference between Traditionalists and Generation Y workers – who are the focus of a lot of hiring – in ‘willingness to go the extra mile.’ It is not because they are inherently lazy, rather, it takes them years to re-adjust their expectations to match their real-time experiences on the job. Our data suggests that it will take many years for Gen Y to match the inherent willingness to work hard found in the other age groups. Whatever the reasons, best-performing companies are able to maintain the natural level of enthusiasm brought to the job by employees at all ages – rather than contribute to its decline,” said Klein.

“The natural conclusion is to consider bringing on board, as well as retaining, a higher percentage of mature workers. They have already factored the realities of work into their overall strategies, and have tempered their expectations. As a result, they are more resilient, and most likely to be satisfied with the work situation. With more people living healthy, active lifestyles, and so many Traditionalists uncertain whether they will have the financial resources to enable them to retire, they may want to stay in the workforce longer. Some Traditionalists who had been managers earlier in their careers may want to pursue individual contributor roles now, as they perceive these to have less stress and more flexibility.”

About Sirota Survey Intelligence

Founded in 1972, Sirota Survey Intelligence (www.sirota.com) specializes in attitude research. Headquartered in Purchase, N.Y., Sirota has conducted thousands of attitude surveys around the world that have helped organizations build strong, productive relationships with their employees, customers, communities, opinion leaders, investors, shareholders, suppliers and other publics. The major results of their surveys have been summarized in The Enthusiastic Employee: How Companies Profit by Giving Workers What They Want (Wharton School Publishing www.enthusiasticemployee.com). Compiled since 1972 and continuously updated, Sirota’s multi-national, multi-industry database comprises data from millions of employees collected through the firm’s employee survey research (predominantly among the Fortune 500). It is possible that the results from the companies in Sirota’s database are more favorable than a national probability sample.

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Survey points out benefits of hiring older workers