Harnessing the Power of Older Workers in a Changing Economy
In Part 1 of this series, I explored the untapped potential of older workers and the systemic barriers that have kept this demographic on the sidelines of economic growth. As we enter 2025, it’s crucial to recognize that our economic success hinges on fully utilizing the skills and experience of workers across all age groups. The coming year presents a unique opportunity to reshape our approach to workforce development, creating a dynamic labor market that fully leverages the potential of workers across all age groups.
In this second part, I will dive into the actionable strategies and forward-thinking policies that can unlock opportunities for older workers and foster a more dynamic economy.
Charting a Path Forward in 2025
Participation: Older workers are often left out of workforce policy discussions, creating an invisible demographic with critical skills and experience. In 2025, organizations must actively include older workers in policy-making processes, industry forums, and strategic planning. This means creating dedicated advisory boards, conducting targeted outreach, and ensuring that voices over 50 are not just heard but central to workforce development conversations. By elevating their participation, we can better address their unique challenges and leverage their extensive knowledge.
Strategic Resource Realignment: Traditional workforce training models are fundamentally misaligned with the complexity of the current economic landscape. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act’s (WIOA) current structure, for instance, has been proven to perpetuate systemic barriers for older workers.In addition, the current training approach fails to recognize that skill development is not a one-size-fits-all solution, especially for experienced professionals seeking to reinvent their careers. We must create flexible, adaptive learning ecosystems that create pathways to training opportunities and support diverse career aspirations. Workforce development systems should combine technological literacy, industry-specific expertise, and transferable soft skills, moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches, recognizing the unique needs of experienced professionals navigating career reinvention.
Challenging Age Perception: Organizations that continue to view age as a limitation are missing a critical competitive advantage. Our recent CWI Labs survey, for example, found that 92% of workers over 50 want opportunities to learn new skills, including digital literacy. These workers understand that age has no bearing on their ability to adapt, learn, and contribute to the evolving job market. By challenging outdated perceptions, we can transform age from a perceived weakness into a strategic organizational strength.
Last year, the U.S. economy faced a critical workforce challenge with many mismatches that perpetuated vicious cycles and exposed a lack of targeted training to meet the workforce demands. Despite a shift toward skills-based hiring, many older workers remain underprepared for modern job demands, exacerbating a loss of employer opportunity. However, unlocking the potential of this demographic can drive innovation, productivity, and economic stability. Targeted workforce development and intergenerational collaboration are essential. In 2025, addressing these issues through expanded policies, training initiatives, and strategic resource realignment will empower older workers and create a more competitive economy.
The time has come to recognize that our workforce’s greatest asset is in the breadth of experience. The future of our economy is here, and it demands the contributions of all workers, regardless of age.
