See the skills companies look for in employees over 50

Having a diverse team, which can think of various possibilities and markets, has become a great asset for companies to reach an ever-increasing audience.

In this scenario, some skills of professionals over 50 years of age came to be seen as strategic for the business.

On the list of competencies are commitment, emotional intelligence and experience.

“The most mature employees have among their characteristics the power of persuasion, they pass more confidence and develop a more assertive communication with the customers due to the baggage of life”, says the president of CotaFácil, Ismael Dias.

According to him, the company is in the process of hiring ten workers over the age of 50 to work in the payroll telesales area, whose customers are in this age group.

Today with 120 employees, the majority between 18 and 35 years old, the company wants to balance the workforce with more age diversity and inclusion.

“Professionals over 50 already know their strengths and weaknesses, their communication skills are more refined and they can be good leaders because of their time in the job market.”

In addition, says the executive, these professionals are more committed to the company, bring a corporate culture and reduce turnover.

These are also the characteristics that move the founder and financial director of the Red Fitness gym network, Ellen Fernandes, in search of older professionals.

The company already has a relevant share in some areas, such as management positions, where 90% of employees are in this age group. Among physical trainers, however, the representativeness drops to 10%.

“The job market, especially fitness, seeks innovation while looking for experience and professionals with emotional intelligence, which is essential for living with everyday stress and working as part of a team.”

In general, says Ellen, older professionals are more responsible for deliveries, without the need for the leader to closely monitor the day to day.

Culture

With a solid agenda of initiatives focused on the theme of diversity and inclusion, PepsiCo created the Golden Years program. The objective is to combat ageism, making room for professionals over 50 years old.

Today, more than a thousand people (about 8.3% of the team) in the company belong to this age group and are allocated to all levels and areas.

According to the company, the turnover of this public is 49% lower; absenteeism, 27% lower; and engagement, 3% higher.

“For all our opportunities, we seek and value talents who have skills and soft skills that go beyond the technical and can add knowledge with professional and personal experiences”, says Fábio Barbagli, vice president of HR at PepsiCo Brazil.

“Professionals 50+, specifically, bring a baggage of experience that is very valuable to us.”

productive exchange

Another company that bet on professionals over 50 years old was Grupo Águia.

For the World Cup project, which brings together Stella Barros, Top Service, Gray Line, Lynx Aviação and 4BTS, the culture director, Agatha Abrahão, says that six coordinators were hired, all over 50 years old.

“They have strong skills in operations of major events, with a huge curriculum of experience in World Cups and Pan-American Games”, highlights the executive.

“It needs a very comprehensive view of scenarios and risks. You have to have a very strong school.”

She says that, as in the project, age diversity has always been organic in the group. The heterogeneity of the team ends up creating informal mentoring between older and younger professionals.

“The 50+ also see the opportunity to learn with the younger ones. It’s a productive exchange.”

The information is from the newspaper. The State of São Paulo.