A majority of employers in Quebec consider workers aged 60 and over to be “as efficient”, or even “more efficient” than all younger workers.
They are thus 64% to find them as efficient and 19% to find them even more efficient than all the younger workers. Only 10% find them less efficient.
This is what emerges from a study conducted by Léger for the Conseil du patronat du Québec (CPQ), among 351 professionals who have decision-making power over the hiring of employees in their organization.
It thus seems that baby boomers are popular with employers: more than 67% of them say they are somewhat or very interested in recruiting workers aged 60 and over.
These employers thus find them reliable, rigorous, serious, wise, mature, patient, loyal, trustworthy and who have the advantage of experience and know-how.
But employers also perceive obstacles to hiring these workers aged 60 and over: first the higher salary they could command, then the fact that it is a short-term commitment. Employers are also apprehensive about the risk of injury and health problems.
“There is growth potential for Quebec at this level. If we had the same activity rate as Ontario’s for workers aged 60 to 69, a pool of 86,000 potential workers could be available in companies tomorrow morning, if we had the right tools, the right methods or the right information,” said Karl Blackburn, President and CEO of the CPQ, in an interview.
As part of this study, employers reported difficulties in reaching people aged 60 and over for job offers.
Moreover, the majority of companies do not have a suitable recruitment strategy to reach these experienced workers. Only 8% of them have implemented a policy or targeted practices for hiring or retaining experienced workers.
Also, 70% did not know the resources to join pools of experienced workers.
The Government of Quebec has a role to play in this matter, admits in an interview the Minister of Employment, Kateri Champagne Jourdain. The employment of people aged 60 and over is even “a priority”, she says.
“We ask ourselves certain questions, for example: what are we doing to help reach remote clienteles, what are the levers we are putting in place to promote the adaptation of workplaces, what -what can be done in terms of human resources to facilitate this return to work. We already have services, but we want to be even more present for our businesses, to offer optimal support for them,” added the Minister.
Many workers aged 60 and over, for example, would like to be able to continue working, but by reducing their working week. But many companies do not offer this option.
Mr. Blackburn mentions that there are successful examples, in hardware stores, for example, and that they need to be better known to inspire others.
“The toolbox that we will make available in the summer […] it will be a framework model for discussions on recruitment, it will contain a seal so that companies can advertise themselves as employers who hire workers aged 60 and over. We will also have the opportunity to have a directory of organizations that will be able to guide businesses and accessible resources for employers and a bank of experts who will be able to support these entrepreneurs in the implementation of the guide. We plan to provide very personalized support to 90 companies over the next few months,” said Mr. Blackburn.