Dynamism & Adaptability:
Continuing negative cultures pose the greatest risk for the adaptability of organisations. Negative tendencies, such as stagnation or organisational inertia, are not attributable solely to age! However, cultures are lived and continued particularly by those individuals socialised within these cultures, i.e. those with a corresponding length of service. The larger this group and the more pronounced the critical cultural tendencies, the greater the risk for future company developments. This also applies to subcultures and divisions.
Management Skills & Decision-Making:
Cultures of stagnation are also observed among executives. A culture of non-decision-making poses a threat to the viability of organisations, particularly in volatile market situations. These risks are amplified by new leadership challenges (e.g. Augmented Workforce). Furthermore, the management actions taken by Talent 45+ have a decisive influence on the retention of new talent and employer attractiveness.
Collaboration & Networking:
Talent 45+ are particularly willing to network more intensively, both internally and externally, to cooperate and to share knowledge, is particularly high (see study). However, established structures in many organisations have led to a ‘Silo mentality’. This will necessitate a 180-degree turn going forwards! The readiness of the target group represents strong leverage that can be better exploited by establishing appropriate structures and offers.
Personal Responsibility for Development:
Personnel development concepts based on the employees’ personal responsibility for their own individual development often involve a cultural leap for longstanding employees in the upper age brackets. This manifests among other things as the provision of good opportunities but low take-up of those opportunities. For companies to succeed, it is essential to encourage a rethink. In many industries, particularly the knowledge-intensive sectors, the employability of 45+ employees will soon be a key issue in HR.
Performance Culture:
Many organisations have a lack of development prospects for Talent 45+ (see study). Many have reached the ‘career plateau’. This, combined with the certainty of being able to remain in a position for another 10 to 15 years is a critical trigger for loss of motivation and performance in this target market. This is linked with a considerable cost risk for companies (seniority costs, etc.). A strong performance culture in the 45+ age group is based on many pillars, from healthcare measures through qualification to management. Thus far, however, the most effective pillar has often been absent: development paths. In this context, it is important to note that development is not confined to upwards development. While this approach is relevant for all age groups, for Talent Management 45+ it represents the most important point of leverage and the one that has been most neglected thus far.
Perception of Age & Appreciation:
A positive perception of age has a profound influence on the cooperative culture and collaboration across the generations. Targeted Talent Management 45+ has a positive influence on the perception of age in a company, whereby the effect of individual measures always needs to be taken into account. This means that, even during unavoidable phases of degradation inherent to old-age part-time work or early retirement, a balance in perception can be upheld. Failure to establish a counterweight to create real appreciation during a downturn that affects mainly older employees, can result in lasting damage to the perception of age and the work culture.
The trigger for Talent 45+ projects is often the perception of risks and the need for action on the aforementioned issues. Close links between the areas of risk and current objectives of organisations become clear in this context. Talent 45+ is a key HR-value contribution topic.
Talent 45+ Projects achieve: