Older
employees are experts with many years of experience. Therefore, in your own
interests you should use the following motivators to keep the "old hands''
loyal to you and encourage their performance.
1. Equality
The most important motivation is not to expect older employees to take on a
special role. Even a well-intentioned status as "senior professional"
can be seen as exclusion and discrimination.
2. Fairness
If you have decided to increase salaries, make sure that you are entirely fair.
Even your younger employees look critically when bosses give older employees
less with the argument that, "He can't leave the company at his age
anyway".
3. Promotion
Allow older employees to take part in the same advanced training courses as
younger employees. Knowledge can become outdated very quickly, especially in
the area of technical innovation. Consequently, investment in a 58-year old is
just as worthwhile as in a 28-year old.
Also offer older employees the opportunity to take part in soft skill seminars
together with their younger co-workers; these include such things as
communication, team training, handling complaints, sales talks, etc. This
allows them to pass on their practical experience from their own company to the
younger employees.
4. Independence
Older employees who have proved to be reliable and competent should be allowed
to work largely independently. In particular, if you are much younger, avoid
anything that could be construed as offensive "supervision". However,
you must closely manage and consistently control older employees who,
unfortunately, are not prepared to work conscientiously on their own.
5. Call on special skills
Give older employees the chance to pass on their knowledge and experience.
However, it does not always have to be the older employees who manage projects
or working groups. Perhaps an "old hand" can coach a younger project
manager. Also, when difficult customers have to be dealt with or in tricky
negotiations it can be sensible to have an "old hand" support a younger
co-worker.
6. Work-life balance
Especially during the family phase younger employees are often willing to work
late in the evening or even well into the night. Older employees generally also
have other interests. In the long term, a good work-life balance leads to more
satisfied employees who are able to work under pressure. Make it clear that, as
a manager, you do not expect endless evenings with overtime. It is more
important that employees reach their individual and group targets. They should
be able to do this in the time they have available; otherwise, you may have to
discuss the defined targets with them.
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