I had the pleasure of speaking this afternoon to a group of professionals in the museum industry who were attending the New England Museum Association's annual conferece. As part of the discussion, I shared with them four myths about mature workers. I welcome you to use the comment section to add your own myths to this list.
1. Mature workers are not interested in taking on new challenges-WRONG! One of the top reasons mature workers leave their employers is because there appears to be no place to go.
2. They can't adapt to technology-Really? Tell that to the sixty-something year old lady that I saw text messaging the other day or the mature woman in the audience today who just bought herself an I-phone.
3. They lack stamina-Have you seen Bruce Springsteen in concert lately or Mick Jagger (who happens to be 66)? Both of these guys have more stamina than a high school track team. Still think mature workers lack energy?
4. They won't want to work for a younger boss-Many already do. Tell you what. You don't ask them their age and they won't ask you yours!
It's time to toss these myths out the window and work towards building a more inclusive workplace. Wouldn't you agree?
