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, inclusive economy.
Charting a Path Forward in 2025
Visibility and Representation: Older workers have been systematically marginalized in 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 visibility, 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 structures that have the potential to eliminate or reproduce economic disadvantage for Black workers. In the workforce system, cumulative disadvantage combined with policy responses that fail to address historical or current racial injustices merge to reinforce economic exclusion and poverty. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act’s (WIOA) current structure, for instance, has been proven to perpetuate systemic barriers for marginalized groups, including 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 equitable, adaptive learning ecosystems that address systemic barriers 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 marginalized groups and experienced professionals navigating career reinvention.
Challenging Age Perception: Age discrimination is not just a moral failure—it’s an economic liability. Organizations that continue to view age as a limitation are missing a critical competitive advantage. Contrary to outdated stereotypes, our recent CWI Labs survey 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, 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 inclusive policies, training initiatives, and strategic resource realignment will empower older workers and create a more competitive, diverse economy.
The time has come to recognize that our workforce’s greatest asset is its diversity of experience. The future of our economy is here, and it demands the contributions of all workers, regardless of age.
