Tribune: Florence Delacour

The coexistence of at least four generations within the workplace presents the challenge of ensuring the engagement of all. The issue of ageing brings unexplored opportunities, and the integration of senior employees fosters innovation and enables unique intergenerational synergies.

Understanding the Work Engagement of Senior Employees

Today, workplace motivation has evolved from a one-size-fits-all approach to a multigenerational strategy that calls us to revisit the fundamental drivers of motivation. At its core, motivation is ageless. It arises from the fulfilment of key psychological needs: professional autonomy, a sense of competence - the feeling of being effective in one’s environment - and the development of positive human relationships. These needs remain relevant throughout life, for both younger and older employees.

A multigenerational approach requires us to recognise that the focus, content and goals of motivation shift over time. While younger employees often prioritise rapid career progression, older employees tend to value the nature and purpose of their work, autonomy and flexibility, which allow them to apply and share their accumulated skills and experience.

Motivating senior employees means listening and offering tailored responses that address these three dimensions: enabling autonomy, fully recognising talents and expertise, and nurturing workplace relationships where everyone, including older staff, has a meaningful place. Today’s multigenerational workforce demands HR and management practices that are not only adapted but also differentiated by generational needs.

More broadly, these practices must be inclusive, consistent and sincere. Older employees must perceive fair and equitable treatment in decisions and policies regarding job security, performance evaluations, pay, mobility opportunities and access to training, as well as in the genuine value the organisation places on them.

Dismantling Stereotypes and Myths about Ageing

Throughout my long career as HR, Organisation and IT Director, I often found that the main barrier to integrating senior staff came from persistent stereotypes and myths about age in the workplace. One common belief is that motivation declines with age. However, many studies show that employees over 50 are often among the most engaged, even if engagement levels can vary depending on the context.

Another widespread idea is that older employees are less effective. Yet multiple meta-analyses have shown that age is a weak predictor of job performance. In general, there is no significant performance gap between younger and older workers, though there is naturally a range of individual differences within every age group.

There is also a misconception that senior employees resist change or struggle with technology and fast-moving developments. In reality, resistance to change is more often linked to how the change is perceived in terms of personal gain or loss, not to age itself. Most research finds no clear link between age and adaptability to new technologies.

Challenging these stereotypes requires targeted training for HR and managers, as well as awareness initiatives for all staff. It is equally important to encourage senior employees to feel empowered in the workplace. Creating space for open, respectful intergenerational dialogue can help highlight shared values, motivations and expectations that go beyond age, reducing the risk of generational divides. Focusing on common ground helps develop new ways of working together and reinforces everyone’s contribution to the organisation’s future. It’s time to change the way we see the role of senior employees.

Towards a New Inclusive Organisational Culture

We must recognise the positive contribution of older employees. Instead of viewing age as a problem or a challenge, let’s focus on the opportunities this group offers. How can we better benefit from their experience and knowledge? When senior staff feel respected and valued, they are more productive and more committed. Their know-how should be shared through mentoring, tutoring or coaching, to help strengthen the organisation as a whole.

Recognising this value also means supporting their health and managing the physical effects of ageing, through prevention measures, ergonomics, job adaptation and flexible work rhythms. These actions reflect the organisation’s human values and positively influence all employees, regardless of age.

More broadly, these practices must be inclusive, consistent and sincere. Older employees must perceive fair and equitable treatment in decisions and policies regarding job security, performance evaluations, pay, mobility opportunities and access to training, as well as in the genuine value the organisation places on them.

We must also encourage job crafting and flexibility. Creating the conditions for active, meaningful professional ageing means designing a work environment that supports both physical and mental wellbeing. This includes training, coaching, awareness efforts and leadership grounded in care and trust. It also requires a fresh look at job roles and ways to reduce demanding work conditions.

Given the diversity of individuals and jobs, the most effective tool is a proactive, bottom-up approach: job crafting. Senior employees should be encouraged to reshape their roles to better align with their strengths, skills, autonomy, relationships and overall wellbeing. This gives them more freedom and responsibility, helping them fully use their expertise and make their work meaningful, fulfilling and forward-looking.

Developing Inclusive Career Pathways

Proactive career management is essential, especially as many sectors face labour shortages. Senior employees are a key resource that should not be overlooked. Recruitment and retention strategies must include them, not favour only younger talent.

Older employees bring real strengths: experience, strong professional networks, loyalty, integrity and interpersonal maturity. Yet many find themselves in a kind of maintenance phase, either by choice or because of organisational expectations. Career development is still too often associated only with the young. Organisations tend to focus on how long a person has left before retirement, rather than on the value they can still offer.

HR policies need to be rethought to support progression and continuous learning for older staff. Outdated views of linear careers often limit opportunities. For women especially, whose careers may have been shaped by caregiving responsibilities, there’s a need to rethink professional pathways. A more flexible rhythm could help ensure older employees are fully included in organisational strategies.

By taking this approach, organisations can build a truly inclusive culture that values generational diversity. Recognising the strengths of every age group and supporting senior employees in staying active and engaged benefits not only older workers, but the entire workforce.