When I hit 40 a friend suggested now was the time to start lying about my age. I took a moment to reflect and decided to ignore her advice. At least for now. Three (or maybe four) years on, I’ve stuck to that.

I’m only a tad over halfway through my working career, and I’m thriving. Given that a baby born today has a solid chance of living to 104, future generations will likely be pushing 85 before they consider retirement, so we need to leverage our aging population to ensure future growth. 

Butwith a shrinking workforce and an aging population, we cannot afford to sleep on it. It is crucial that we attract and retain older workers. Embedding an age strategy isn't just a nice thingto have anymore. It's essential. 

I recently sat down to gather insights on how to implement and communicate this strategy into workplace culture and here are the top five key takeaways:

1. Emphasise intergenerational working. Focus on intergenerational, not just multi-generational, working. While having multiple generations in the workforce is inevitable, intergenerational working fosters productive collaboration among different age groups.

2. Recognise the value of emotional intelligence (EQ). While IQ tends to be fixed by late adolescence, EQ increases with age. Older workers often have higher empathy, which is invaluable in understanding and connecting with customers.

3. Engage and challenge older workers. Don't assume over-50s aren't interested in new roles or stretching in their current ones. Regularly check in to understand their evolving needs and aspirations.

4. Promote the presence of older workers. The visibility of older workers is crucial for mentorship and demonstrating career longevity in your industry. It shows that continuous careers are achievable and valuable.

5. Highlight skills transfer and experience sharing. Communicate the benefits of mentoring and coaching roles for older workers. Many over-50s enjoy these roles and can provide significant support to newer or existing employees, fostering a collaborative and experienced workforce.

By implementing these strategies and effectively communicating them, businesses can harness the potential of an aging workforce, ensuring sustained growth, innovation and ultimately happy, purpose-led lives.