Mature workers and aging. What not to do in employment.

Twice in the last few weeks the world has reminded me of my chronological progression. At a local store, a clerk asked if I qualified for the senior discount, and flying home from Minneapolis, the TSA agent told me to keep my shoes on as a courtesy to their more mature flyers. And yes, as of yesterday, I do qualify for benefits for anyone 55 or over.

Aging is concern for more mature workers, and now that I’ve officially joined that category, I’m asking myself, as objectively as possible, are these worries valid?

I do find myself a bit slower when it comes to decision making lately. I’m not convinced this is a byproduct of aging. It could instead be a result of having decades’ worth of experience to consider when choosing a course of action. And while I don’t have hard data on this, it feels as though I’m making fewer mistakes overall, potentially because I’m being more thoughtful.

I also don’t have the stamina I once did to power through long workdays. Up through my 40s, a 10-hour schedule was typical for me. Now, after seven or eight hours, my mind and body say, “That’s enough.”  This could be perceived as a downside, yet research in Sweden showed that a six-hour workday is best for peak productivity and employee satisfaction. So my trend toward working less may actually be better in general.

At this stage in life, I’m also less tolerant of erroneous distractions, such as long, unfocused meetings, and attempts to get my attention by people who aren’t relevant to my plans. That can be perceived as being intolerant, a behavior that hiring managers cite as a downside to hiring older workers.

And while I’d like to say, “Too bad, that’s how I feel,” I realize that mindset can limit my opportunities—and that’s the kind of attitude that can give older workers a bad rep overall. So to stay engaged and relevant, I’ll temper this tendency, because for employment to be successful, it needs to be win-win arrangement…and I still have so much to give.

Photo Credit:  Andi Berger. Dreamstime Stock Photos