Beyond the Strangeness in the 50+ World

On February 16th, I wrote an article here on LinkedIn reflecting on ten HR trends for 2022. I would like to revisit two of them from the perspective of people 50+: the shift to hybrid work and the central importance of Employee Experience.

It may sound strange that I’m not mentioning the increasingly important trend of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. But these have become quite obvious.

To start, the pandemic accelerated something that organizations were already gradually adopting: the hybrid model, where we blend remote work with in-person work. Moreover, we are reinventing physical workspaces in companies while, in fact, we work from anywhere, even in the Metaverse.

And what does this have to do with 50+? Everything! We seniors want to continue being global citizens. We want the freedom to spend part of the year close to family and part exploring new places. We want to be at our grandchildren’s house one day and reconnecting with old friends another. Perhaps even move back to our hometown. Of course, this trend is not exclusive to those 50+. Among younger people, there is an increasing tendency not to buy a home. What is special about seniors is our multitude of human relationships created over a lifetime, which connects us to many places. Being able to work with such freedom is a significant attraction for 50+ talents.

Another strong trend that I mentioned in my article is the central importance of Employee Experience as a way to mitigate the shortage of certain talents. This involves new work relationships as part of the company’s strategies to create an attractive and productive organizational environment.

Flexible work formats are critical for all generations. For those 50+, this has a particular meaning. At this stage of life, we cultivate multiple interests. We want (and need) to work, but we also wish to revisit old hobbies, study new subjects, and spend more time with family. Work remains central, but it is not the only activity to which we want to dedicate our time. The eight-hour daily model no longer fits. Therefore, new flexible work formats allow us to create multiple life schemes, offering those 50+ the chance to explore all of our interests.

I am very optimistic about the possibilities that these HR trends bring for the employability of people 50+. I also see the movement to eliminate ageism rapidly growing in all social spaces. Companies that are actively building the future are already preparing for a talent market where the supply of 50+ individuals will increase. To that end, they are experimenting with and quickly learning new flexible models and work relationships. How is your company adapting to this practice that is so in tune with the new times?

Pedro Pittella,

Head of HR at Sanofi and Ambassador of Liga Labora for generational inclusion

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