Hire experienced workers and tap into proven skills, loyalty, and high-quality work. Discover why retirees, consultants, and freelancers can boost productivity, reduce turnover, and strengthen your team.

The sleeping giant is wide awake and ready to work.

There are about 38.1 million people over the age of 55 in the workforce today. That’s nearly 25 percent. In 1994, it was just 1 in 10.

Longer life spans, financial pressures, and especially the need to be productive are all changing how people think about retirement. Companies are also changing the way they think about talent.

This is the first of several reflections on why companies cannot afford to ignore the value of experienced workers.

Case #1 – Loyalty and engagement rise with age
Studies show that older professionals are more engaged and more satisfied with their work compared to younger workers who are still navigating early career fit, which often leads to less engagement and loyalty. In other words, less job hopping. This is important for two reasons.

Reason 1: A recent Gallup study found that teams in the top quartile of employee engagement achieved:

• 23% higher profitability

• 18% higher productivity in sales

• 14% higher productivity overall

• 10% higher customer loyalty and engagement

• 18% lower turnover in high-turnover organizations

• 43% lower turnover in low-turnover organizations

Reason 2: Replacing an employee can cost up to twice their annual salary.

That is why hiring a retiree, consultant, or freelancer is not just a smart move—it reduces costs and risks. Seasoned professionals bring reliability, low attrition, and immediate impact. They do not job-hop. They do not need constant training. They often stay longer than expected not because they have to, but because they want to.

Experienced talent, whether working as a part-time consultant, project-based freelancer, or in a flexible role, is quietly outperforming expectations. They are a strategic advantage for smart companies and a proven way to close skills gaps without sacrificing quality.