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JoDee Curtis (00:02)
Whether it’s for financial reasons, purpose, or passion, this demographic is reshaping what it means to retire, and they are growing in size and influence.

Welcome to The JoyPowered® Workspace Podcast, where we help HR and business leaders embrace joy in the workplace. I’m JoDee Curtis, owner of Purple Ink, an HR consulting and development firm. With me is my friend and co-host, Susan White, owner of Susan Tinder White Consulting, an HR consulting practice. Susan is also an executive collaborator with Purple Ink.

Our topic today is the silver workforce. Who is the silver workforce? Well, we’re talking about older adults, typically 55 and up, who are staying in or returning to the workforce. Whether it’s for financial reasons, purpose, or passion, this demographic is reshaping what it means to retire, and they are growing in size and influence.

Let’s start with the big picture. According to the US Census Bureau, by 2030, all baby boomers will be older than 65, meaning one in every five Americans will be of retirement age. I know this specifically because I’m the last year. I was born in the last year of the baby boomer generation by most standards, which was 1964. And yet many of these older Americans are not retiring, including myself.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that workers age 65 to 74 will make up almost 11% of the labor force by 2031, and that’s up from 9% in 2021. It isn’t just a US trend either. In Japan, nearly 25 % of the workforce is over 65. And countries like Germany and the UK are also seeing similar patterns.

JoDee Curtis (02:32)
So why is this happening? While financial necessity is a factor, it’s not the only reason older adults keep working. A 2023 AARP study found that purpose, social engagement, and mental stimulation are top motivators for older workers. And let’s not forget identity. For many, work is a core part of who they are. Retirement can feel like a loss of relevance or community.

And that’s why flexible work, consulting roles, and phased retirement options are so appealing. They allow people to stay engaged on their own terms. That’s where reverse mentoring comes in. Pairing older workers with younger ones creates a two-way exchange where experience meets innovation.

And what about the business case for the silver workforce? Well, let’s talk return on investment or return on experience. Older workers bring decades of institutional knowledge, industry insight, and emotional intelligence. They’ve seen cycles, crises, and comebacks. And that kind of perspective is invaluable, especially in leadership, customer service, and those mentorship roles.

Companies that tap into this talent pool often see stronger team cohesion and better decision making. And here’s something else: retention. According to the Sloan Center on Aging and Work at Boston College, older employees tend to stay longer in their roles, reducing turnover costs. They’re also more likely to prioritize stability and loyalty, traits that are increasingly rare in today’s job market.

Another area to think about is entrepreneurship with the silver economy. It’s not just about employment, it’s also about entrepreneurship. The fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the US? Adults over 50. They’re launching consultancies, nonprofits, and small businesses fueled by passion and purpose. It’s a broader trend known as the silver economy, not just the silver workforce. It’s a market driven by the needs, interests, and spending power of older adults. From travel and wellness to tech and education, this demographic is shaping consumer behavior in powerful ways.

But what about technology and inclusion? Well, yes, let’s address the elephant in the room: the technology. There is a myth that older adults can’t keep up with digital transformation, but the reality is more nuanced. Many of them are eager to learn, and they do.

What they need is inclusive design and thoughtful onboarding. When companies invest in accessible tools and training, they unlock a whole new level of productivity and engagement. And let’s not forget, older workers may many times serve as the bridge between legacy systems and emerging platforms. They typically understand the why behind longstanding processes and can help translate them into modern workflows.

Really, ultimately, this is about reframing how we think about aging. The silver workforce is not a burden. They’re a bonus. It’s not about slowing down. It’s about showing up differently. With flexibility, respect, and opportunity, older adults can thrive and others thrive too. So whether you’re a business leader, a policymaker, or a podcast listener wondering what’s next in your career, remember this, the future of work isn’t just young, it’s multi-generational. And that’s where the magic happens.

Susan White (07:07)
Let’s focus on intergenerational collaboration. I’d like to talk about workplace dynamics. What happens when Gen Z interns work alongside baby boomers? If it’s managed well, it could be magic. Research from Harvard Business Review shows that age-diverse teams outperform age-homogeneous ones, especially in problem solving. But it really takes intention.

Communication styles, tech fluency, and even humor can help vary widely across generations. That’s where reverse mentoring comes in. Pairing older workers with younger ones creates two-way exchange. Experience can meet innovation. I think that when an older person and a younger person really click, there’s nothing they can’t do.

JoDee Curtis (07:56)
Right. I agree. I think it can be really powerful if we work together with it, right? So what about ageism and bias? Well, unfortunately, ageism is still a major barrier. A 2022 AARP survey found that 78% of older workers have seen or experienced age discrimination, and it often starts in hiring.

Resumes with graduation dates from the 70s or 80s can be filtered out by algorithms. That’s why the best companies are removing age indicators and using skills-based assessments instead. It’s also about culture. Do your values include respect for experience? Are older employees visible in leadership and mentorship roles?

By the way, our advice to people who have graduation dates on their resumes is take them off. You don’t expect a company to filter those out. You take them off to begin with. There’s no need to have graduation dates and there’s no need to start with the very first job you ever had and include dates on there either.

Susan White (09:02)
I think the rule of thumb that I’ve heard most frequently is that don’t go back more than 15 years in your work experience. Older than that, it probably is stale. And there’s really — you’re giving away your age if you go much beyond that. Just tips to think about. Let’s zoom out. Like, what does it mean for public policy? It’s huge. Social security, Medicare, and pension systems were designed for a different era. People are living longer.

JoDee Curtis (09:32)
Yeah.

Susan White (09:46)
And working longer. Some countries are raising their retirement age. Others are offering tax incentives for companies that hire older workers. And then there’s lifelong learning. Governments and employers alike are investing in reskilling programs to keep older workers competitive.

JoDee, I had read somewhere that the fastest growing entry population entering the workforce are people over the age of 65, people who thought about retiring, maybe they retired for a little bit, they still have juice in them, they get bored, or they look at their finances and realize they have not saved enough to live another 20, 30 years. So it really could be a great source of hire for companies out there that are looking around saying, who’s gonna do this work? Maybe you can woo somebody back in from retirement.

JoDee Curtis (10:16)
Right, right, I love it. Well, let’s end on a joyful note. What are some of the upsides of working later in life? It can be purpose, connection, confidence. A Stanford study found that older adults who work part-time, or volunteer even, report higher life satisfaction than those who fully retire.

And they’re role models. They can show younger generations that aging doesn’t mean fading, it means evolving. The silver workforce is not filling roles, they’re redefining what it means to age at work. And the silver workforce is also not a trend, it’s not just a trend, it’s a transformation. And it’s one that can bring wisdom, resilience, and joy to every workplace.

Susan White (11:31)
I’m not aging. I’m evolving. I love it. I love it.

JoDee Curtis (11:36)
Right. Right. And, you know, admittedly, we both have silver hair and we both fall into this group. Right? I’m still working as I want to continue to grow my retirement funds, but I also I feel great. I have a lot more to learn and I feel like I have a lot to share with others. I don’t live to work, but I love my work I don’t plan on fully retiring for a long time. So what about you?

Susan White (12:09)
I love working too. I love helping people and I know that’s kind of a expression that lot of HR people do, but I truly do. I love helping people solve problems. I find such purpose in the work that I do and it’s fun. Now I try very hard to only do joyful work. So every once in a while I get myself caught up in something I think is not fun. And I try to remember, say no to that in the future, stick to things that are joyful. But I feel so grateful to be silver-headed.

JoDee Curtis (12:30)
Right.

Susan White (12:38)
And to be doing lots of different interesting work.

JoDee Curtis (12:43)
Yes, well, I’m certainly glad that you’re choosing to do so.

Susan White (12:47)
You too. So JoDee, we have a listener question. Oftentimes there seems to be a gap with employees implementing the concepts of what they have learned. What are some tools or strategies to help ensure employees apply the concepts after a training program is complete?

JoDee Curtis (13:05)
We hear this a lot and admittedly, it happens to me also. I get all excited about new learnings, new approaches, new methodologies, yet many times I go back to work and I continue to do things the same way I always did. We know it happens with our clients as well, so we have been recommending and offering several new approaches to training and it’s working. So.

A few different answers. Number one, instead of just offering training just one time and hoping it sticks–and by the way, that could be for two hours or two days of training–start with some pre-work prior to the class to get participants thinking about the topic. The pre-work could be some online learning, some group chats on the topic, videos, or some asynchronous learning on their own.

Another option, number two, do the same after the training with some follow-up reinforcement, such as a regular refresher session or micro learning content to keep the concepts top of mind. Group chats on the topic can also be very helpful and hold people accountable to be responding and engaged in the conversation.

Option number three is on the job coaching. If managers can provide guidance and feedback during real work scenarios that are very specific examples of what was learned in the training, can be super helpful. Managers and leaders can also reinforce training by integrating concepts into team goals and the review process. Course, that means the managers need to be paying attention and engaged in the training as well, too. But ask the trainer for some ideas on how to follow through with this.

Another item, number four, is to get external coaching. This is most effective if done well by the trainers themselves as they know exactly what was discussed in the class and the outcomes and can set expectations upfront.

And number five, action planning. During the training, ask the participants to create concrete steps for applying what they learned in their roles. Assign accountability partners or schedule follow-ups with their managers to discuss.

You could also encourage collaboration and accountability through discussion and shared challenges. So I hope some of these work. Of course, you don’t have to implement all of them at the same time, but even just implementing one or two of those ideas can keep the conversation going.

In our in the news section, Americans view hard work as the path to achieving the American dream. However, work culture can vary regionally. Fullstack Academy analyzed census data from 263 metro areas to determine how Americans work.

Residents in Midland, Texas and Odessa, Texas work the longest hours in the US on average. Santa Maria, California and Orlando, Florida are home to the hardest working younger Americans.

By occupations, surgeons work the longest hours at 59 hours per week. And firefighters work an average of 55 hours a week. By industry, animal production and aquaculture industry workers clock the longest hours on average in the U.S. And this is followed by mining industry roles, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army, and trucking. So some interesting thoughts for today.

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