Strategies for Recruiting Older Workers in Human Resource Management

This report delves into the strategies employed by companies to recruit older workers, highlighting the benefits such as problem-solving skills, experience, and knowledge. It examines the perspectives of older workers and their capacity to mentor and adapt to change. The report includes two case studies, one from McDonald's and another from NHS Portsmouth, outlining the advantages and disadvantages of hiring older employees in these specific contexts. It concludes with recommendations for organizations to ensure a ready supply of labor in the future, emphasizing the importance of workforce planning, staffing assessments, and effective communication. The report underscores the value of older workers in various sectors and suggests ways to leverage their experience and skills effectively. The report also discusses the importance of flexibility in the workplace for older workers.

Human Resources
Management

Table of Contents.
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................3
1 Companies adopting strategies to recruit older workers...............................................................3
2 Two case studies...........................................................................................................................5
3 Recommendations of actions taken by organizations for ensuring they have a ready supply of
labour in the future...........................................................................................................................7
4 Recommendation of overall report...............................................................................................8
REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
In this report it has been discussed the reason behind the companies adopting strategies to recruit
the older workforce i.e. the reason behind hiring of the older workforces followed by the various
benefits and challenges associated with the hiring of the older workforces at the mcDonalds as well
as at the NHS Portsmouth. In the current situations, according to the latest statistics the
organizations preferring more and older workforces as they are already self-confident as well as
experienced. And companies does not have to focus too much on their trainings and development.
More over this report also discussed the steps taken by the organizations to ensure they have ready
supply of workforces for the future (Noe and et.al, 2017).
1 Companies adopting strategies to recruit older workers
Companies should adopt strategies to recruit older workers because of the following reasons:
Problem solving
The main reason of hiring older workforce by the companies is the old workforce capabilities of
solving problems. Problem solving is one of the biggest capability possessed by the workforce of
this age group (Wehrmeyer, 2017). As these workers has huge experience by giving large time in
the particular company or sector. Old workforce enable the company to solve various issues at faster
rate as they might have already experienced various similar critical issues as well as they might
have used shortcuts in solving such issues. Thus, companies tends to retain and acquire old
workforce as long as possible.
Perspective
The another reason associated with companies adopting strategies to recruit older workforce is the
reason of perspective (Tracey, 2016). It is the reason as the new workers tends to think or plan for
one, three or five years while the older workforce can relate themselves with the strategic plans
associated with the decades for the organizations. Older work force realizes that the success of the
organization by future planning is similar to meeting the same day dead lines. These workers gain
enough knowledge that they involve themselves with the economies, marketplaces and people for
the betterment of the organization. They help in keeping assurance that the plan is still alive and
well even if some unwanted chaos is arrived (Amuna and et.al, 2017).
Knowledge
Knowledge is the useful assets of an individual. Company's' tends to retain the older workforce as
they have years or decades of work as well as life experience in the particular company or sector.
These older workforce has the deep knowledge, understanding and self-confidence associated with
the particular sector. The information bank or the knowledge bank or the experience bank posses by
such employees is varied valuable for the survival or the success of the company. Not only for the

strategic planing of the company these workforces even have enough knowledge to find the solution
to the various legal and regulatory issues that could arise in the company. Moreover, older
workforce has the hand on experience with marketing as well as the sales challenges associated
with the organization. Perhaps older work force's experience may propel a new idea which could
serve as the new level to the success for the organization. Moreover, for the company to remain
competitive in the marketplace, older workforce also helps in providing innovation to the
organizational product or service along with this these workers helps in exploring into new
untapped markets (Tortorella and et.al, 2015).
Capacity to grow and learn
It is the current trend that the new workers bring the innovations in the industry but it is not always
true in all the situations as it is not always that the older workforce can't bring the innovations. In
fact older workforce have enough knowledge as well as hand on experience with service on which
they are working so long. Therefore, older workforce has equal or in fact more capabilities to grow
as well as learn. Since these workers has already given years and decades in the particular sector,
there tendency to grow and learn is comparatively more than that of the fresh mind in the
organization. Moreover, old workers easily adapt any changes in the organization where the new
employee finds it hard to cope up with such situations. Thus, old workforce has the persistent
capacity to continuously advance their knowledge, skills as well as learn continuously from the
various situations arises in the organization (Tracey, 2016).
Mentoring
For the succession planning fresh minds are hired regularly as an when needed by the organization.
These fresh minds needs to be trained as well as needed to be monitored. These trainings or the
monitoring is given to these fresh minds by the older workforce of the organization. Therefore, here
the old workforce is essential in the organization as they help in teaching and monitoring of the new
workforce. It is the human tendency or the career legacy that the younger individuals wants to show
talents and incline to get success at the workplace (Stewart and Brown, 2019). Similarly, the older
workforce as already shown the similar interest in the field that tend them to remain with the
particular sector. Thus, here are the older workforce that tends to train as well as monitor the new
employee or the fresh minds for the betterment or the success of the organization.
Appealing to their competitiveness
By allowing the old workers with the opportunities to take part in the competitive drives which
directly focuses on the future goals and objectives of the organization. Thus, acquiring the older
workforce is always a challenge for the organization in order to fulfil their needs and wants (Stone
and Deadrick, 2015).
Appeal to their wisdom

While retaining the older workforce by the organization it must be discussed with them that their
knowledge and wisdom will eventually help in the overall development of the organization. At the
time of retaining such older workforce it must be clarified to them that their deep knowledge,
experience and understanding will help the organization for its future growth as well as for its
sustainability. Moreover, it is always assumed that the older workforce is more keen and sincere
towards its work (Runhaar, 2017).
Appeal to their flexibility
It is seen common that when old workers kid grown up they tend to leave their native place. Thus,
here the old workers needs more flexibility in their scheduling, travelling etc. Therefore, to fulfil the
needs and wants of the old workers the companies must tends to provide work schedule agility as
well as provide flexible time off to the personal needs of the older workforces (Reiche and et.al,
2016).
2 Two case studies
2.1 mcDonalds
Benefits associated with having older workforce.
Punctuality
Older workforces are generally has the tendency to remain punctual with their time. This
punctuality is the factor that benefited mcDonalds with having the older workforces. These older
workforces tends to complete the orders of the customers at proper timing, as they have enough
knowledge about what negative recognizance the company could face if they cross the deadline
(Rajiani, Musa and Hardjono, 2016).
Honesty
Older workers are known for their honesty. As they have already give so many years in the
particular sector, so they know being honest will tends them to serve their customers more
efficiently. Being honest will also help in effective management of the food outlets of the company
(Noe and et.al, 2017).
Communication skills
As they have long termed experience with this food chain industry, the old workers possess good
communication skills for their department of job. They tend to attend the customer well with their
effective communication skills (Noe and et.al, 2015).
Efficiency and confidence
Old workforces tends to have more efficiency and confidence with this organization as they posses
enough knowledge regarding the perfect proportions of raw materials to be added to better serve the
customers (Cascio, 2015).

Organization skills
In the terms of managing, old workforces has good organizational skills which eventually results in
achieving the companies goals and objectives effectively.
Challenges associated with having older workforce
flexibility
Old workforces are assumed to be less flexible with the time. Less flexibility here means while
working in the mcDonalds the pace at which a young worker can complete the task is much hire
than that of the old age worker due to their flexibility. Moreover, youngsters tends to cope up with
the various economical and environmental conditions whereas the old workforces can't. So the old
workforces are less flexible than the younger workforces.
Slow in working
Older workforces tend to have slow speed of work completion in mcDonalds compared to that of
younger workers.
2.2 NHS Portsmouth
Benefits associated with having older workforce
Dedicated
The older workforces are more dedicated towards their work. As they have decades of experience
towards their work, they gain enough knowledge about the positive and negatives of their decisions.
Thus, once the task is assigned to them they became so dedicated that they did leave until their
work is complete (Noe and et.al, 2017).
Good listeners
Even though the old workforces could be slow in their work, but they proved to be the good
listeners in the NHS Portsmouth.
Maturity
Experience makes the individual mature, thus hiring of old work force at the NHS Portsmouth
shows the maturity of the organization team, which overall gives the effective results (Mondy and
Martocchio, 2016).
Reduced labour cost
Some times old workforce do not work for earning, some times the work for helping the society or
work for a charity. Thus, hiring the old workforces at the national health service Portsmouth will
eventually help the organization in reducing the organizational working cost.
Challenges associated with having older workforce
Health and well-being issues
Older workforces are more prone to the critical health conditions. Thus, being unhealthy or unfit for
the job on any particular day is the challenge associated with hiring the older workforces (Noe and

et.al, 2015.
Managing an ageing workforces
One of the challenges associated with the hiring of older workforces at NHS is management of an
aged workforce.
Flexible working
Older workforces are not flexible in their working.
Retirement planning
NHS has the retirement planning for their workers. Thus, hiring the old workforce who will soon be
getting retired to the age factor will let NHS to unnecessarily invest on such workers (Jabbour and
de Sousa Jabbour, 2016).
3 Recommendations of actions taken by organizations for ensuring they have a ready supply
of labour in the future.
Actions taken by the organization to ensure they would have ready supply of labour in future are :
Lay out of plan and scheduling
By developing the accurate lay out of the plan and scheduling of the staff the company could ensure
that they would have ready supply of human resource in any circumstance in the future.
Performing a staffing assessment
By continuously performing the staffing assessment, ensures the acquiring and retaining of the
desirable staff for the organization (Noe and et.al, 2015).
Developing demand data
Regular development of the demand data, will let the management know the requirement of the
staff for the future perspective of the organization. Every organization wants to gain sustainable
development with the time. Thus, for the development the organization needs to gain understanding
of future demands of the organization (Cascio, 2015).
Developing supply data
Developing of efficient supply data would let the company know the future staff needs.
Comparing demand and supply data
The number of workforce required for the fulfilment of the supply and demand of the commodity
can be analysed by the comparison of the demand and supply data.
Developing a workforce plan
Workforces planning development will helps in staffing of the workforce at the different sectors of
the organization (Brewster, 2017).
Communicating and implementing the workforce plans
Regular communication and implementation the workforce plan with the staff of the organization
will let the workforce to know the future goals of the organization and will also let the staff know

their importance in the organization.
Evaluating and updating the plan
Evaluation of the plan with the necessary up gradation will let the staff know their worth with the
organization. Moreover, this will help the organization to have ready supply of staff in the future
(Stone and Deadrick, 2015).
4 Recommendation of overall report
It could be recommended from this report that companies must adopt strategies to recruit the older
workforce as there are various benefits associated with hiring of older workforce, yet there are some
challenges too, but when we consider the overall productivity of the organization then the benefit
associated are higher than the challenges as we had given the detailed description about the reason
behind hiring of the older workforces followed by the various benefits and challenges associated
with the hiring of the older workforces at the mcDonalds as well as at the NHS Portsmouth. More
over, it has been recommended that the companies must take the steps to ensure they have ready
supply of workforces for the future (Amuna and et.al, 2017).

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